The University of Iowa has identified 77 more damaged or at-risk windows in its Stead Family Children’s Hospital that need an emergency “safety film” — costing another $771,516.
UI Health Care revealed the discovery of additional damaged windows in its 4-year-old, 14-story Children’s Hospital this week in asking the Board of Regents to OK emergency authorization of a contract with Marv’s Glass of Iowa City to apply the 3M safety film.
Typically, the board must put out for public bid projects topping $100,000 — unless “a delay in undertaking a repair, restoration, or reconstruction of a public improvement might cause serious loss or injury,” according a portion of Iowa Code that UIHC cited in its regents request.
The new UIHC request, which the board is scheduled to consider next week, comes after the university in April sought approval to spend $10 million to $15 million replacing two floors of delaminated or cracking windows — discovered in July 2019, just two years after the facility opened.
At the time of its window-replacement proposal in April, UIHC reported it already had installed “a protective film on all windows that have been identified as potential safety hazards to provide an additional margin of safety.”
UIHC, at the time, said it would actively monitor all windows — while a permanent solution is determined — and UI Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations Rod Lehnertz told regents the hospital might discover more affected windows.
“The work that we're doing is wider than just the windows that are impacted,” Lehnertz said in April, adding, “We will continue to monitor and investigate any other occurrences. But it is not just the windows that are visibly damaged, but rather more widespread.”
Regents spokesman Josh Lehman confirmed for The Gazette on Tuesday that the 77 windows identified as needing a safety film — requiring emergency authorization next week — are in addition to windows on floors 4 and 5 that UIHC in the spring said needed replacing.
Although the university hasn’t yet received that emergency contracting authorization, it reported in regent documents that, “Installation started in October 2021.”
UIHC on Tuesday declined to answer The Gazette’s questions about where the $10 million to $15 million window-replacement project stands; if the 77 additional windows are on different floors than those originally identified as affected; how much UIHC has spent on the replacement so far; and if it has a timeline for the project.
The university in April reported looking into possible causes, including manufacturer and installation questions, and Lehnertz said UIHC intends to “hold responsible the causing parties.”
But officials on Tuesday didn’t answer The Gazette’s questions about pursuing insurance or warranty coverage.
“As part of its commitment to a safe, high quality care environment, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics proactively performs regular monitoring and maintenance of its facilities,” UIHC officials said in a statement. “This monitoring identified an issue in the performance of some windows. UIHC immediately took steps to install protective film, conduct expanded monitoring of the windows, and replace windows as needed.”
The Gazette in April reported UIHC had paid a consultant nearly $1 million to assess the damage and offer solutions. It also, at that time, already had paid Marv’s Glass $577,751 to install temporary protective film.
Those costs, officials said, were included in the $10 million to $15 million replacement project — which pushed an already-inflated Children’s Hospital budget to $407 million, $137 million over its original $270 million budget.
UI Health Care revealed the discovery of additional damaged windows in its 4-year-old, 14-story Children’s Hospital this week in asking the Board of Regents to OK emergency authorization of a contract with Marv’s Glass of Iowa City to apply the 3M safety film.
Typically, the board must put out for public bid projects topping $100,000 — unless “a delay in undertaking a repair, restoration, or reconstruction of a public improvement might cause serious loss or injury,” according a portion of Iowa Code that UIHC cited in its regents request.
The new UIHC request, which the board is scheduled to consider next week, comes after the university in April sought approval to spend $10 million to $15 million replacing two floors of delaminated or cracking windows — discovered in July 2019, just two years after the facility opened.
At the time of its window-replacement proposal in April, UIHC reported it already had installed “a protective film on all windows that have been identified as potential safety hazards to provide an additional margin of safety.”
UIHC, at the time, said it would actively monitor all windows — while a permanent solution is determined — and UI Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations Rod Lehnertz told regents the hospital might discover more affected windows.
“The work that we're doing is wider than just the windows that are impacted,” Lehnertz said in April, adding, “We will continue to monitor and investigate any other occurrences. But it is not just the windows that are visibly damaged, but rather more widespread.”
Regents spokesman Josh Lehman confirmed for The Gazette on Tuesday that the 77 windows identified as needing a safety film — requiring emergency authorization next week — are in addition to windows on floors 4 and 5 that UIHC in the spring said needed replacing.
Although the university hasn’t yet received that emergency contracting authorization, it reported in regent documents that, “Installation started in October 2021.”
UIHC on Tuesday declined to answer The Gazette’s questions about where the $10 million to $15 million window-replacement project stands; if the 77 additional windows are on different floors than those originally identified as affected; how much UIHC has spent on the replacement so far; and if it has a timeline for the project.
The university in April reported looking into possible causes, including manufacturer and installation questions, and Lehnertz said UIHC intends to “hold responsible the causing parties.”
But officials on Tuesday didn’t answer The Gazette’s questions about pursuing insurance or warranty coverage.
“As part of its commitment to a safe, high quality care environment, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics proactively performs regular monitoring and maintenance of its facilities,” UIHC officials said in a statement. “This monitoring identified an issue in the performance of some windows. UIHC immediately took steps to install protective film, conduct expanded monitoring of the windows, and replace windows as needed.”
The Gazette in April reported UIHC had paid a consultant nearly $1 million to assess the damage and offer solutions. It also, at that time, already had paid Marv’s Glass $577,751 to install temporary protective film.
Those costs, officials said, were included in the $10 million to $15 million replacement project — which pushed an already-inflated Children’s Hospital budget to $407 million, $137 million over its original $270 million budget.
UI Children’s Hospital finds more damaged windows needing ‘safety film’
The University of Iowa has identified 77 more damaged or at-risk windows in its Stead Family Children’s Hospital that need an emergency “safety film” — costing another $771,516.
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