Madison Concrete

By Jim Dolente Jr., President, Madison Concrete Construction

Safety, schedule, and attention to detail are critical to healthcare facility construction.

Madison Concrete has long been a vital contributor to the Greater Philadelphia healthcare community. The evolving landscape of healthcare design and construction has helped our region’s hospitals rank among the nation’s top facilities for quality healthcare options.

Like the leading hospitals in our region, Madison’s commitment to healthcare construction spans decades. By the end of 2018, Philadelphia had the largest under-construction hospital pipeline of any metro in the U.S. Today, healthcare construction continues to be an essential driver of construction activity in the Delaware Valley. From hospitals to pharmaceutical facilities to research and development centers, these detail-oriented projects demand a deep understanding of technical requirements and the evolving medical innovations that enhance patient care.

Linear Accelerator and Proton Therapy vaults demand the highest quality workmanship.

Quality, safety, expertise
Healthcare construction projects require the highest quality finishes with a strong focus on safety. Our experienced team—both in the field and in the office—is equipped to navigate the complexities of these projects, addressing challenges related to schedule, logistics, quality assurance and budget management. As the leading concrete contractor in the industry in safety, Madison upholds an impeccable record.

Madison has the workforce for your largest projects!

Partnering for Better Outcomes
At Madison, we understand the critical mission of healthcare providers to deliver superior patient outcomes and enhance community well-being. We are proud to be the preferred choice of facility owners and contractors seeking to elevate and expand their healthcare infrastructure. Our mission is their mission, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support their efforts.

We stand ready to leverage our experience and expertise to help medical facilities expand their services and usher in new levels of care. Let us know how we can contribute to your next healthcare construction project. Together, we can continue building a healthier future for our community.

By Jim Dolente Jr., President, Madison Concrete Construction

Calder Gardens, Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.

Madison helped wrap up 2023 with an overnight 1,680-cubic-yard concrete pour to complete the mat foundation at Calder Gardens art museum in Philadelphia. Watch the pour on general contractor LF Driscoll’s social media channels: LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

The pour began the evening of Dec. 21 and lasted through the early hours of Dec. 22. The work involved 168 concrete trucks, 170 tons of reinforcing steel and 62 onsite workers, which required a great deal of planning and coordination. We are thankful for everybody’s hard work!

Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architectural firm behind the esteemed Tate Modern art gallery in London, Calder Gardens will showcase the work of internationally acclaimed sculptor Alexander Calder. Born in Philadelphia, Calder comes from a long line of artists responsible for iconic works in and around the city. His grandfather created the William Penn statue that sits atop City Hall, while his father designed the Swann Memorial Fountain in Logan Square.

Since the completion of the mat foundation, the Madison crew has been busy constructing the perimeter walls of the building, which includes several thousand square feet of architecturally exposed, board-formed concrete (see image below). Next, our team will begin work on the concrete frame structure and exterior garden walls. The museum, which sits on Ben Franklin Parkway between 21st and 22nd streets, is expected to open by early 2025.

At Madison, we are honored to be part of projects celebrating Philadelphia and its residents. Let us know how we can use our experience and expertise to help you achieve your construction goals!

PROJECT TEAM

Client/General Contractor:
LF Driscoll Co.
Project Owner:
Calder Foundation
Architects:
Herzog & de Mueron
Ballinger
Structural Engineer:
Ballinger

You’ve seen them on Madison Concrete projects and on the roads and highways of the Philadelphia area. Now Madison’s pumping equipment is available to rent for your daily concrete pumping needs!

Our fleet includes:

• Putzmeister 38Z Boom Pumps
• Putzmeister 42Z Boom Pump
• Putzmeister 38Z Placing Boom
• Putzmeister Trailer Pumps
• ConForms 18RZ Spider Placing Boom

While some might be familiar with our equipment rental option, we felt this is the perfect time to formally introduce the service to our broader community. Over the past few years, Madison Concrete Pumping has been growing into a sustainable business.

Madison Concrete Pumping offers competitive rates and the first-rate customer service that Madison Concrete Construction has been known for in the Greater Philadelphia construction community for over five decades.

For inquiries or to schedule one of our pumps for your next project, contact Mark McCombs at 610-633-0220 or  mmccombs@madisonconcrete.com.

By Jim Dolente Jr., President, Madison Concrete Construction

The Grand Hall features architecturally sandblasted walls and beams. It will be used as a lecture hall and performance space.

With a globe-spanning collection of more than 97,000 works, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the world’s leading university art museums—yet the building only has space to exhibit two percent of its collection. Madison is happy to be part of the project that gives the museum a bold, new home with nearly double the square footage. Our teams have so far completed foundations and major structural concrete work on the three-level building, including the Grand Hall (see image above). We’ve sandblasted more than 60,000 square feet of exposed concrete walls and beams.

We are currently pouring slabs on metal deck for the upper levels and performing exterior site concrete work. General contractor LF Driscoll Co. is busy constructing the interiors. With still more work to do, the combined concrete and steel structure is expected to open in the spring of 2025. (Construction began October 2021.)

At Madison, we are excited to help this project progress in the heart of Princeton’s campus. Let us know how we can use our experience and expertise to help you achieve your construction goals!

PROJECT TEAM

Client/General Contractor:
LF Driscoll Co.
Project Owner:
Princeton University
Architects:
Adjaye Associates
Cooper Robertson
Structural Engineer:
Silman, a TYLin Company

By John Jakimowicz, Safety Director, Madison Concrete Construction

Labor Day weekend signifies the unofficial end of summer, but that doesn’t mean the summer heat disappears! The hot (and humid) season in Greater Philadelphia typically lasts from around the end of May through mid-September, so don’t stop taking hot-weather precautions.

Excessive heat can cause illnesses and even death if not treated properly. It also exacerbates existing health problems like asthma, kidney failure and heart disease. Construction workers are among those at highest risk for getting heat illness, which makes it incredibility important for those in our industry to recognize when hot weather conditions are affecting workers’ health and safety.

Quick tips to beat the heat begin with what to do before the workday begins. Wear loose, lightweight and light-colored clothes (cotton or athletic-type material preferred) as well as sunscreen, a brimmed hard hat and tinted safety glasses if possible. Workers should stay hydrated and limit caffeine intake. Eating smaller meals and choosing fruit with high fiber and natural juices over high-protein foods also helps. Once on the jobsite, pace yourself. Avoid working in direct sunlight whenever possible and schedule frequent breaks in shady or air-conditioned areas.

Heat Safety Resources
It’s also important to know the signs of heat illness and what to do when somebody exhibits them. The General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) offers a Toolbox Talk Toolkit  intended for use in safety huddles. The toolkit includes several Toolbox Talks and fact sheets covering topics like “Water, Rest, Shade” strategies, descriptions of heat illness symptoms, prevention and first aid, how to check the heat index and guidance for using the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App.

Recognizing the magnitude of their message, GBCA shared these heat safety resources not only with the construction industry, but also with the general public through campaigns aired on 97.5 The Fanatic and 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia. As a result, GBCA was named a winner in OSHA’s 2023 Beat the Heat National Contest under the Strongest Message category. After all, hot weather affects everybody!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, heat stress killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000 workers from 1992 through 2017. OSHA warns that this is likely a vast underestimate. Heat is not always recognized as a cause of heat-induced injuries or deaths and can easily be misclassified because many of the symptoms overlap with other more common diagnoses.

Be safe out there! It’s easy to let hot days sneak up on you this time of year. Take the necessary precautions as summer weather lingers, starting with following the recommendations in GBCA’s Heat Hazard Toolbox Talks. And don’t forget to use these tips at home, as well—especially if you have outdoor activities planned for Labor Day weekend!

By Jim Dolente Jr, President, Madison Concrete Construction

At 204 S. 12th St. in Washington Square West, Madison crews are working on the foundation walls and structural concrete levels of the 32-story tower.

As we head into July and another steamy Philly summer, Madison Concrete is steaming ahead with construction on 204 S. 12th St. in the Washington Square West neighborhood.

The mixed-use luxury apartment tower will stand 32 stories tall and feature 378 residential units plus a three-level below-grade parking garage with 96 parking spaces and 130 bicycle slots. Other features include a third-floor amenity level with outdoor pool, 30th-floor terrace and two levels of lobby and retail space. In total, the building will house 401,870 square feet of space.

Our Madison team has constructed core walls up to Level 18 and is currently working on the structural slabs at Level 14. We anticipate completing three-quarters of the core and two-thirds of the slabs by the end of July. Topping out the main roof is scheduled for October, with full completion of the structure in December.

When complete, the high-rise is going to be a great addition to the Philadelphia skyline!

At Madison, we are proud to be part of this large-scale residential project. Additional housing in the ever-growing Center City market will help support the numerous businesses located in the surrounding area. Let us know how we help with your next project!

PROJECT TEAM

Client/Construction Manager: Hunter Roberts Construction Group
Developer: Midwood Investments and Development
Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP)
Architect on Record: Bower Lewis Thrower Architects (BLTa)
Structural Engineer: WSP USA

By Jim Dolente Jr., President, Madison Concrete Construction

Photo credit: HSC Builders & Construction Managers

Located in the heart of campus, the University Health Services (UHS) Building project at Princeton University is designed to offer a warm and welcoming environment for students to obtain a variety of healthcare and mental health services. A central atrium will house a reception lounge and connect three distinct wings: two new additions and Eno Hall, a laboratory building constructed in 1924. By adaptively reusing Eno Hall, the building will be anchored in Princeton’s rich architectural history while it connects to its present and future through the two contemporary wings, which stretch toward two primary pedestrian walkways.

Madison is proud to collaborate with HSC Builders & Construction Managers, WRNS Studio and Thornton Tomasetti on this project. Our crew is nearing completion of the foundations, and once the erection of the superstructure is complete in early summer, we will return to pour slabs. Many of the structure’s walls are composed of exposed architectural concrete with a board-formed finish (see photo at left). We achieved this look by lining our wall forms with cedar boards, which in turn imprinted the boards’ wood grain texture onto the fresh concrete surface.

With wellness as a sustainable design throughline, the project is targeting LEED Gold certification and will employ a hybrid mass timber and steel structure, reducing the project’s carbon footprint. Construction is projected to be complete in 2024.

At Madison, we invest our concrete construction expertise in projects that make a positive impact in the communities they serve. How can we help you with your next project?

PROJECT TEAM

Contractor: HSC Builders & Construction Managers
Client: Princeton University
Architect: WRNS Studio
Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti

Photo credit: HSC Builders & Construction Managers

By Jim Dolente Jr., President, Madison Concrete Construction

Every person on a jobsite should be empowered to take ownership of acting safely—and to step in and speak out to keep their team and jobsite safe. Strong Voices, Safe Choices is the theme for this year’s Construction Safety Week. The annual week-long event is a time for the construction industry to reaffirm our commitment to sending every worker home safe each day.

Construction Safety Week is scheduled for next week, May 1-5. Safety Week Daily Topics are available with accompanying videos and Toolbox Talks to help you plan conversations, demonstrations and activities with your team. Available resources include a Mental Wellness Field Guide, as mental health is an increasingly important safety topic in construction.

Another component of safety is partnering with other trades to make jobsites safer. The American Concrete Pumping Association recently launched a safety campaign that brings heightened awareness of each trade’s responsibilities when working around a concrete pump. I encourage you to learn more about the campaign by visiting WeAreSaferTogether.org.

Our Safety Culture
Safety has always been a cornerstone of Madison Concrete’s culture. It is our No. 1 priority. Through the employment of a corporate safety director and safety manager, the implementation and enforcement of a comprehensive safety policy and the in-house production of an Employee Safety Orientation program and video, Madison is recognized in the local construction industry as a contractor that strives to provide a safe working environment for our employees as well as other trades working nearby.

Our safety professionals work hard to stay on top of the latest safety regulations and industry trends, and our program incorporates safety procedures so that they become a natural part of daily activities. This is done through teamwork, collaborative evaluation of incidents to determine measures that reduce risk, and teaching employees to proactively identify and mitigate risks. Participation is expected at every level of the organization, from executive staff to field workers. However, the program is implemented from the top down so managers can verbalize the message of safety to staff and lead by example.

We’d love to hear about how you’re approaching safety on your projects and how we can use our experience to assist you. If you would like to learn more about our policy and how it might relate to your project, I invite you to contact me or our safety department.

Rising between two existing structures and towering at 209 feet, The Standard at Philadelphia is one of Landmark Properties’ newest student housing projects. Designed by CUBE 3 and located at 119 South 31^st Street, The Standard At Philadelphia is adjacent to both University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University campuses. Its 280 units include gourmet kitchens with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and hardwood laminate floors. Residents will also enjoy amenities such as a fitness center, pool, computer labs, a student lounge and a 14^th floor roof deck that has views of Philadelphia’s downtown.

The 376,640-square-foot project is situated halfway between West Philly’s low-rise buildings and the high-rises in downtown Philadelphia. Working with Gilbane Building Co., Madison started foundation work on this 19-story, post-tensioned concrete structure during the spring of 2022. Within the next few weeks, we will be completing the concrete structure and begin to demobilize from the site.

A recent article in Philadelphia YIMBY includes a multitude of current project photos.

With an opening date planned for the 2023-24 school year, the hundreds of apartments that the building adds to the neighborhood will considerably lessen the local housing scarcity and serve the numerous universities in the vicinity.