Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles highlighting interesting projects and discussing how AACE content has benefited resolution of challenges and/or assisted with successful project outcomes. (The first article can be found here.) This article is a re-post of an updated version of an article first posted as a Cotter Consulting blog. Links to it and additional, related links follow:
https://www.cotterconsulting.com/views/restoring-a-milwaukee-gem/
https://www.cotterconsulting.com/
https://findorff.com/
https://www.wecenergygroup.com/
Restoring a Milwaukee Gem
By Courtney Gosewisch, CCP
Project Controls Specialist
From Disaster to Divine
Monday, May 18, 2020: Disaster Strikes
On the weekend of May 16-17, 2020, downtown Milwaukee’s Public Service Building (PSB) suffered severe steam damage after heavy rainfall infiltrated the tunnel system housing the piping used to distribute steam across the city. Millions of gallons of rainwater entered the tunnel system, damaging conduits and pipe insulation that caused the system to fail in two critical spots – one of them being the basement of the PSB. As a result, steam pressure blew off the access door to the basement, manhole covers were blown off along downtown streets, and steam and water affected all levels of the building. Steam permeated through the HVAC system, causing elevators, electrical equipment, carpeting, furniture, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, historical marble, ornate woodworking, and much more to take on insurmountable damage. It was nothing short of a disaster.
PSB lobby entrance after steam damage and under construction
PSB restored lobby entrance
After a week of pumping water from the building, it was time to plan the rebuild and restoration. The big question on everyone’s mind was, “where do we even begin?”. Not only had the PSB suffered incredible destruction, but the temperature inside had risen well over 100 degrees and created humid conditions, ideal for mold. There was an extra level of difficulty to repair historical building materials and preserve architectural features. Lastly, the steam event occurred during pandemic supply chain conditions, which really complicated planning. Assembling the right team that could quickly assess the damage and begin the process of rebuilding was absolutely critical.
PSB damage assessment of workplace
Wednesday, October 19, 2020: Mobilize, Mitigate & Manage
Cotter was enlisted in October of 2020 to bridge the gap between the contractor JH Findorff and the WEC Energy Group and manage the detailed cost tracking necessary for the insurance claim. This required extensive inventory tracking for every item in the building and multiple damage assessments coordinated with subject matter experts and legal consultants. Our role included implementing detailed cost reporting, establishing a change management process, and improving the accuracy of monthly cost forecasting for a proactive approach. Beyond the insurance claim tracking, the time and money needed to now rebuild the PSB needed to be considered.
The initial cost to restore the building was estimated at over double the expected cost. The team was also operating against a time constraint; the building needed to become fully operational sooner rather than later. This building not only served as the headquarters for a major utility but also as a meeting spot for local community businesses and town halls. The next challenge was to find a way to soften the financial blow without compromising quality or delaying the schedule. The clock was ticking and the Milwaukee community needed this project to succeed.
It wasn’t without trial, but the team was able to find alternate solutions to this staggering amount with aggressive value engineering. By re-deploying 630 workstations, private offices, and conference room furniture from Chicago’s AON Center and Green Bay offices, we realized significant savings. Other tactics like prioritizing cleaning over costly replacements helped to reduce expenses. By December of 2021, the PSB had re-opened its doors and it was back to business as usual.
PSB steam damage assessment
PSB basement steam damage
PSB another view of the restored lobby entrance
“The restoration of the Public Service Building was an incredible feat for the team. It was an unplanned project due to a weather event, but WEC Energy Group quickly pulled together a well-rounded team that was competent, collaborative, and solution-oriented. It was a “once in a career” type project and I’ve been fortunate to be a part of the solution and continue to learn from this project.”
-Courtney Gosewisch, CCP
Project Controls Specialist
PSB Legacy Hall
PSB lobby staircase to 2nd floor
December, 2021: A Job Well Done
As this restoration project wrapped up, Courtney looked back and gave the following overview. She says, “The opportunity to restore such an architecturally and historically rich building to its former glory was a challenging, but highly rewarding mission for the entire project team. We could not have succeeded otherwise. We overcame numerous obstacles along the way – always as a team. The Findorff and WEC Energy Group team dove in and drove an efficient and action-oriented response. The ultimate success of this project was due to the caliber of expertise brought on-site, consistent collaboration, and a transparent communication process.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Courtney became involved with AACE when she was hired by Cotter Consulting in 2018. As a member, she regularly participates in webinars, technical presentations, and attended the last two annual AACE conferences. She found attending the conference in person to be invaluable. Courtney believes these connections are important resources to learn from experts in the industry, gain exposure to topics outside of her daily work, and solicit second opinions or partnership opportunities. “These connections have the potential to pivot your career or give you the ability to make a positive impact on someone else’s future.” She has aspirations to present at a future conference.
Courtney was certified as a CCP in 2020, which had been one of her career goals since joining AACE. “It was important to me to have credentials to establish myself in my industry,” she says of the certification. She regularly uses the vast resources available to members, such as the virtual library and recommended practices, while working with clients.
Courtney graduated from Purdue University in 2013 with a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering and minor in organization leadership and supervision. While employed with Black & Veatch, she worked on small power generation projects in Kansas, a large oil and gas program in Oklahoma, a water pipeline supply project in Colorado, and a utility scale solar array in Florida. Once joining Cotter Consulting, she was part of a team that did cost analysis for hurricane restoration in Texas and schedule support for property renovation and clean room construction for medical manufacturing in Chicago. She served as an owner’s representative for a utility company’s facility renovation program in Chicago. Since working on the Public Service Building renovation team, Courtney most recently acts as a program and project controls leader for the facilities design and construction program.
PSB meeting room
PSB team collaboration space
Background on the Companies Involved
- Cotter Consulting – Project Controls Consultant role on PSB
- In 1990 Anne Cotter founded Cotter Consulting Inc., a woman-owned firm in Chicago, that provides comprehensive program management, project management, and construction management services for diverse corporate, public and institutional. From preconstruction to closeout, our project leaders provide the expertise and dedication to achieve each client’s vision for success. Services include program management, project management, construction management, project controls, owner and investor representation, and sustainability.
- J.H. Findorff & Sons Inc. – General Contractor role on PSB
- JH Findorff has been providing 132 years of building experience and quality craftsmanship, with 3 offices in Wisconsin. Services include planning/preconstruction, construction, safety, self-performed trades, facility assessment, and sustainability.
- WEC Energy Group – Owner of PSB, Wisconsin utility company
- WEC Energy Group is one of the nation’s largest electric generation and distribution and natural gas delivery holding companies, with the operational expertise and financial resources to serve the Midwest’s energy needs safely, reliably and responsibly. Together, WEC Energy Group provides energy services to more than 4.6 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. The combined assets allow operating efficiencies across 71,000 miles of electric distribution lines, 51,400 miles of natural gas distribution and transmission lines, and 7,700 megawatts of reliable power capacity. WEC Energy Group was formed in 2015 but has predecessor companies that carry over a century of history.
PSB conference center training rooms with Skyfold partition