Although Craig Hall has enjoyed a mutually beneficial professional relationship with AtlantiCare for the past 15 years, his admiration for the health care system goes well beyond his work. As a resident of the region AtlantiCare is dedicated to serving, he sees firsthand the positive impact its leadership strives for every day.
“I live in Egg Harbor Township, so even though we’re a Philadelphia-based company, this is my home,” says the Principal and Project Executive, Shore Division, for P. Agnes, a renowned construction management firm. “All three of my kids were born here, and it’s a passion of mine and our team to be able to continue working here and to continue building for this client. AtlantiCare does a great job of taking a step back and strategically planning for our community needs now, and in the future.”
With a longstanding history of driving successful projects since its founding in 1918, P. Agnes has become a trusted partner in fulfilling AtlantiCare’s vision. Their first joint venture was 2009’s AtlantiCare Cancer Care Institute in Egg Harbor, and the bond has only strengthened since then.
Their most recent endeavor was the Meadows Pavilion expansion at AtlantiCare’s Mainland Campus. The $75 million, multi-phase project tasked P. Agnes with vertically extending a two-floor existing hospital, creating two new floors, a mechanical room and 35,000 square feet of space while renovating the previous building.
“Our successful vertical expansion of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Galloway highlights our strong partnership with P. Agnes, whose expertise and collaboration were essential to this project,” says Matt Levinson, VP, Government Affairs and Development, at AtlantiCare.
Like all of its AtlantiCare projects, P. Agnes worked hand in hand with designers to assist with budgeting and constructability, best practices and the safest way to move the job forward.
As Hall notes, working on a hospital is a whole different ballgame than remodeling a residential home, since it must remain operational and meet all of its patients’ medical needs while construction is ongoing. Fortunately, that’s where the experience of P. Agnes’ team comes into play.
“I would love to say there’s some secret formula, but it’s really an unbelievable amount of communication and trust with the client,” he says. “For instance, this project added two stories of patient rooms over an existing building without impacting patient care. Every decision is made as a team and with safety as a top priority. Without the full dedication of the trade partners, safety, infection prevention, project management and nursing teams this project would not have been feasible.”
Collaboration is crucial not only in P. Agnes’ relationship with the client, but also with the various skilled trades necessary to complete a project of this magnitude. Mike Laughlin—the Executive at Large and Assistant Business Manager, South Jersey, for District Council 21, a union consisting of painters, glaziers and drywall finishers—applauds the company’s ability to work with all sides, ensuring that union members receive work at a wage that is fair to both them and the client.
“P. Agnes is one of those companies that understands there’s a fine line,” he says. “They get hired too, just like we do, and if they can’t get the job because everyone is too expensive, then none of us go to work. So that labor management piece is probably the most important part that has led to us being successful. If you go back to the unions in the ’70s, ’80s and maybe even the early ’90s and early 2000s, it wasn’t always that way. It was almost like the union and management were enemies with each other, but I think across the board you’re seeing that companies like P. Agnes are embracing this collaborative process.”
Despite being a 107-year-old company, P. Agnes is clearly not resting on its past achievements but is always looking to push forward. That’s why Hall will be one of the attendees at the Glass & Metal Alliance’s Glass Symposium, to be held April 30 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. The event will bring developers, contractors and glazing professionals together for in-depth industry discussions and networking opportunities.
“Technology, especially in construction, has grown so much over the past decade,” Hall says. “They’re making materials now that I wouldn’t have even thought about before. When I am able to get that information, I can then provide advice to designers, owners or engineers on what might be beneficial to them. That’s invaluable to our clients.”
P. Agnes
PAgnes.com
AtlantiCare
AtlantiCare.org
District Council 21
DC21.org
