DPR Construction, Inc., a forward-thinking commercial building contractor/construction manager, recently began the buildout of Sibley Memorial Hospital's Center for Breast Health and the renovation of a high-end corporate office building in Washington, D.C. that is owned by the Bernstein Companies and Lerner Enterprises, as well as a conference room / office space renovation for the Urban Institute, one of the building's tenants. While DPR's Fairfax office is known for its large ground-up projects, such as the 140,000-sq.-ft. Inova HealthPlex and the 600,000-sq.-ft. IKEA store, these recent projects represent DPR's further push into the Washington, D.C. tenant improvement market.

"Our tenant improvement experience in large metropolitan areas has provided us with the tools needed to overcome the challenges these projects pose," said Herman Diebler of DPR. "We employ techniques, such as non-traditional shifts and delivery scheduling, to overcome traffic congestions, the lack of staging space and the challenge of working above and next to other tenants."

In the 8,500-sq.-ft. buildout of the Sibley Memorial Hospital's Center for Breast Health, DPR will be working among patients and near treatment areas that will remain in use during construction. With the expansion of the mammography, ultrasound, and stereotactic facilities occurring near existing patient rooms and above the neonatal floor, DPR is using tacky mats and dust partitions to minimize airborne contaminants and is taking precautions to reduce the noise level. To install a new CT machine and renovate the 2,200-sq.-ft. CT scan room and control room, DPR is relying on its depth of technical construction experience to allow for the instrument's 24-hour use during the construction.

At its other two Washington, D.C. projects at the Bernstein/Lerner building, DPR is using precise delivery schedules that match immediate construction materials requirements to overcome space limitations. DPR is working closely with the building's tenants to minimize disruptions as the construction company renovates the exterior entrance and main lobby - modifying the existing ceiling, installing a new security desk and new computerized directory, and adding a rotating art exhibit area.

In conjunction with the building's makeover, DPR will renovate a 1,200-sq.-ft. executive office area for the Urban Institute, one the building's tenants. The renovation includes installing a new stage and sound control booth, along with sound proofing the executive conference suite.

A local builder with global capabilities, DPR's Fairfax County office has been "building great things" in the Northern Virginia area for more than a year, including such projects as a 15,000-sq.-ft. renovation of office space for Aspect Communications, a 15,000-sq.-ft. main telecommunications center and digital cable network site for COX Communications, a 33,000-sq.-ft. office and laboratory facility for Gene Logic, a 600,000-sq.-ft. retail/warehouse building for IKEA Property, Inc., and a 140,000-sq. ft. medical center for Inova HealthPlex. Specializing in technically demanding projects in healthcare, digital media, corporate/speculative office, energy, mission critical (data/telecom), biotechnology/pharmaceutical, entertainment and warehouse and distribution industries, DPR has been recognized for its unique collaborative approach in both local and national markets and is a recipient of Arthur Andersen's 2001 Global Best Practices Award for its customer management. DPR's Fairfax County office is located at 2941 Fairvew Park Drive, Falls Church, Va. and can be reached by phone at (703) 698-0100, by email at [email protected], or on the Web at http://www.dprinc.com.

In addition to Fairfax County, DPR also has an office at 10900 Nuckols Road, Suite 200 in Glen Allen, Va., as well as in Phoenix, Ariz.; Newport Beach, Pleasanton, Redwood City, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; Atlanta, Ga; Austin, Dallas and Houston, Texas; Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Wash.; and Singapore.