CHI Health Lakeside Orthopedic Center

CommonSpirit's CHI Health Lakeside Hospital campus in Omaha, Nebraska, is home to a newly reimagined orthopedic and rehabilitation destination built to strengthen care for the surrounding community. In partnership with Hoefer Welker, the design-build renovation transformed the campus's existing Wellness Center into a modern orthopedic center, giving patients expanded access to specialized exam space, physical and occupational therapy, and advanced diagnostic care close to home.

The renovation reworked both levels of the existing building to create 16 clinical exam pods and dedicated physical therapy and occupational therapy space, along with a new elevator and a reimagined atrium. Partway through construction, the project scope grew to include a new biomechanics research suite developed in partnership with Creighton University's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, establishing a new graduate medical education space and orthopedic residency program. 

Because CHI Health Lakeside never closed its doors during construction, McCarthy built the project around the hospital's daily rhythm rather than the other way around. Crews phased work across both levels, shifted much of the schedule to nights, weekends and split shifts, and followed strict infection control protocols so the hospital's physical therapy department and an on-site daycare could keep serving patients and families throughout the build. Daily coordination with hospital staff kept noisy or disruptive work timed around active patient care.

That patient-first approach carried into every corner of the project. When an assessment revealed aging roof conditions letting in outside air, the team brought in specialized thermal scanning and building envelope expertise to design and complete a full exterior repair, improving comfort for patients and staff. McCarthy also self-performed several scopes including civil, concrete foundations and footings, demolition, and finish and rough carpentry. 

The result: a project completed with zero recordable injuries across more than 85,000 work hours, bringing transformative growth to the care and education of the Omaha community.