ramp providing emergency and service vehicle access to the pile- elevated first floor; a refrigerated pad and piling beneath the ground- level entrance, to prevent movement of the entry and elevator lobby; and the design of a parking area and road system that enables effective snow removal and storage with minimal disruption. Neeser's involvement comes with NSHC having already completed the construction of the foundation gravel pad and the steel pile foundation. NSHC has also purchased structural steel that will be provided to the general contractor as government- furnished materials. Overall the structure is expected to contain some 1,800 tons of structural steel in a welded steel frame. By the time Neeser's work is completed, a decision will have been made on the future use of the existing 39,000- square- foot building. At the moment, options under consideration include rehabilitation services and assisted living for the elderly. Whatever the outcome, the old building will have a state- of- the- art center as its neighbor, making a positive difference for the whole community. Neeser Construction Inc.: Norton Sound Regional Hospital JANUARY 10 www. bus- ex. com 121 health facility for Norton Sound Health Corporation, serving approximately 10,000 people. Significantly, in addition to Nome's residents, the facility will serve a network of 15 villages that are home to Alaskan Natives around the Norton Sound area, offering both inpatient and outpatient services, as well as support services to meet the needs of family members and healthcare providers. The project was phased to include the development of an early pad package, and the initial site preparation was a factor in encouraging funding agencies' support, which resulted in the $ 91 million stimulus award in September 2009. The severe Alaskan climate had to be taken into account, and various cold- region adaptations were implemented, including a drainage solution that reduces the potential for ponding and permafrost degradation; the development of a grade- separated pile foundation for the building that will prevent the degradation of thaw-unstable permafrost soil; a 15- foot- high gravel access

Miami 122 www. bus- ex. com JANUARY 10 An ambitious and ongoing building program at the national recognition- and there could be more to Theflower