It would be inaccurate to describe the hospital market as slow in Western PA but for 2013 the opportunities may be less plentiful than in recent years. For the near term the hospital activity is in West Virginia.

The region’s biggest system, UPMC, will be concentrating on the new $394 million CIS project in Shadyside and after investing heavily in OR’s, ER’s and a new energy plant for the past couple years, UPMC will have fewer of the $20-$50 million jobs going.

The Highmark/WPAHS entity – in whatever form it ultimately takes – will also have a few big projects but will not be the booster rocket that the hospital construction market hoped just yet. The $80 million Wexford medical mall should go out in late spring and the smaller Monroeville facility should be out to bid in February. Highmark’s investment in Jefferson Hospital will bring a few projects too but the biggest action right now is even further south.

WVUH has put their Ruby Hospital south tower expansion project out to a ‘select’ group of firms for a construction management proposal. The RFP will lead to pre-construction and a GMP for the work on the $130-ish million tower core and shell later this year. The list of contractors includes almost 20 firms making up 11 teams, with some contractors flying solo while most teams pair a local and national player. Those proposing include G. A. Brown (the only WV firm), Landau, Gilbane, Massaro, Turner, Mascaro, Whiting-Turner, PJ Dick, Hunt, Manhattan, McCarthy, Skanska and a few others. The proposals are due in a couple of weeks.

Skanska was selected by Preston Memorial Hospital to build their new $35 million facility in Kingwood. It’s hard to imagine a project that size even interesting a firm Skanska’s size just three or four years ago but it’s a sign of the times that they edged out another national firm, Turner, to get this gem.