Ophthalmic Operating Room

Location: Libertyville, Illinois

Client: Advocate Condell Medical Center

Project Type: Ophthalmic Operating Room / Eye Procedure Room Renovation

Size: 2,010 SF

Duration: 80 Days / 16 Weeks

Architect: Anderson Mikos Architects

Engineering: Grumman Butkus Associates / Dickerson Engineering

Project Overview

Michuda Construction successfully completed a 2,010-square-foot ophthalmic operating room renovation at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Illinois, delivering a highly specialized surgical environment within an active hospital.

The 16-week project required the complete reconfiguration and modernization of the existing space to support ophthalmic procedures. Work included selective demolition, new interior construction, extensive mechanical and medical gas modifications, electrical infrastructure upgrades, installation of a new isolation panel, hospital equipment connections, and all-new architectural finishes.

Because construction occurred within an operational healthcare facility, the project required detailed shutdown planning, infection prevention measures, precise trade coordination, and careful management of work adjacent to occupied patient and public areas.

Specialized Ophthalmic Operating Room Construction

Ophthalmic operating rooms require construction systems to work together with a high degree of precision. Electrical distribution, medical gases, HVAC, lighting, equipment infrastructure, finishes, and life-safety systems all had to be coordinated around the clinical requirements of the new surgical environment.

Michuda worked closely with Anderson Mikos Architects, Grumman Butkus Associates, Dickerson Engineering, Advocate Condell stakeholders, and trade partners to translate the design into a fully integrated procedure space.

Existing walls were removed to establish the new layout, followed by reconstruction of the operating room and supporting areas. Existing ductwork and medical gas infrastructure were modified to accommodate the new configuration, including coordinated shutdowns necessary to safely complete connections within the active hospital.

A new isolation panel and associated electrical infrastructure were installed to support the specialized requirements of the ophthalmic operating room, along with new connections for hospital equipment and systems.

Construction Inside an Active Hospital

A significant component of the project extended beyond the limits of the new operating room.

Michuda constructed new storage space within an occupied and active waiting room, requiring construction activities to be carefully separated from ongoing hospital operations. Work sequencing, containment, access, housekeeping, noise management, and daily coordination were critical to protecting patients, visitors, and staff while allowing the surrounding clinical environment to remain functional.

This type of occupied-space construction is fundamental to Michuda's approach to healthcare construction. Rather than treating hospital operations as a constraint around the work, logistics and patient safety are incorporated directly into the construction plan.

MEP, Medical Gas and Shutdown Coordination

The new ophthalmic operating room required significant modifications to existing building infrastructure.

Michuda coordinated the reworking of existing HVAC ductwork and medical gas systems to serve the new surgical layout. Existing components were removed where required, new infrastructure was installed, and shutdown activities were planned around hospital operations.

Healthcare shutdowns demand coordination well beyond the immediate construction area because the systems being modified may serve other departments or occupied spaces. Michuda's team planned each intervention with the appropriate hospital stakeholders and trade partners so that work could proceed safely while minimizing disruption to clinical operations.

Electrical and Surgical Infrastructure

The electrical scope included installation of a new isolation panel and infrastructure required to support specialized hospital equipment.

In an operating room environment, these systems must be coordinated precisely with equipment locations, architectural elements, ceiling systems, mechanical infrastructure, and clinical workflows. Michuda managed this coordination throughout construction to ensure that the completed space supported both the technical requirements of the equipment and the operational requirements of the clinical team.

Architectural Finishes and Final Build-Out

Following completion of the infrastructure work, Michuda delivered all-new finishes throughout the renovated space.

The completed ophthalmic operating room combines the highly technical infrastructure required for surgical care with a clean, durable healthcare environment designed for long-term operation. Particular attention was given to constructability, finish execution, equipment interfaces, and closeout coordination so the completed space could transition efficiently from construction into clinical use.

Project Challenges & Solutions

Maintaining Hospital Operations During Construction

Challenge: Construction took place inside an active hospital, including work within an occupied waiting room.

Solution: Michuda developed phased work plans, maintained separation between construction and occupied spaces, coordinated daily activities with hospital stakeholders, and managed access, noise, dust, and housekeeping around ongoing operations.

Coordinating Medical Gas and HVAC Modifications

Challenge: The new operating room configuration required modifications to existing ductwork and medical gas infrastructure serving the healthcare environment.

Solution: Michuda coordinated field conditions, trade sequencing, shutdown requirements, and system modifications before performing connections to reduce disruption and maintain safe hospital operations.

Integrating Specialized Operating Room Electrical Systems

Challenge: The ophthalmic operating room required a new isolation panel and electrical infrastructure supporting specialized hospital equipment.

Solution: Electrical work was coordinated with the architectural layout, equipment requirements, MEP systems, and construction sequencing to achieve an integrated installation within the renovated space.

Delivering Within an 80-Day Construction Schedule

Challenge: The complete 2,010-square-foot ophthalmic operating room renovation needed to be delivered within an approximately 16-week construction duration.

Solution: Michuda utilized detailed preconstruction coordination, disciplined scheduling, early identification of shutdown requirements, and close collaboration among the design team, hospital stakeholders, and trade partners to maintain progress throughout the project.

Building Healthcare Spaces Where Precision Matters

The Advocate Condell ophthalmic operating room renovation demonstrates the level of coordination required to construct specialized clinical environments inside functioning hospitals.

From medical gas and HVAC modifications to electrical isolation systems, shutdown coordination, occupied-space construction, and final finishes, Michuda Construction managed the project around one central requirement: the hospital still had to operate while construction moved forward.

That experience has been developed across more than 1,700 healthcare construction projects and continues to shape Michuda's approach to operating rooms, procedure rooms, imaging environments, emergency departments, intensive care units, and other mission-critical healthcare spaces throughout Chicago, Illinois, Indiana, and the Midwest.