When New York City was confronted with a surge in COVID-19 cases in March, Xylem brand Bell & Gossett & Wallace Eannace Associates, Inc., quickly provided the design assistance and products needed to increase capacity at North Central Bronx Hospital (NCB), the smallest of 11 public hospitals in the city’s health system. The hospital went from 15 intensive care unit (ICU) beds before the COVID-19 outbreak to 135 ICU beds in just a few months.

Design assistance and products from Xylem brand Bell & Gossett, represented by Wallace Eannace Associates, Inc., the North Central Bronx Hospital rapidly added ICU beds to address the surge in COVID-19 cases.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, identified NCB as one of several target locations for the construction of 120 additional ICU beds in preparation for the crisis. To accommodate the additional beds and support space for the executive administration staff, two existing floors within the hospital had to be renovated and converted into specialized COVID-19 support wings—all within an expedited time frame.

As part of the emergency construction project, a new hydronic system design was needed for both floors. Wallace Eannace and Bell & Gossett provided engineering design assistance, selecting high-quality, energy-efficient equipment matched to the specific application and a complete hospital hydronic system.  To meet the hospital’s accelerated construction schedule, Wallace Eannace fast-tracked the manufacturing of the hydronic system equipment through Xylem’s Quick Ship Program. Within two weeks, the hospital received the necessary hydronic equipment, including e-1510 pumps, e-80 pumps, variable frequency drives, balanced triple duty valves, 3X suction diffusers, Rolairtrol air separators, shell and tube heat exchangers, and domestic watchman units.

The project, which began in March, was finished in just a few months. Construction moved at record pace, with the first set of 20 ICU beds available in early May, and the rest completed by mid-July. “That is a dramatic change from everyday business here,” said John Doyle, a spokesman for the hospital. According to Darryl Clark, Corporate Vice President of Wallace Eannace, “It is really rewarding to play a major role in providing essential heating equipment for a COVID-19 ICU. The doctors, nurses and other personnel whom are caring for us need to be in the best working environment possible. We are happy to provide that comfort.”

Wallace Eannace and Bell & Gossett are proud to have supported NCB during this emergency building project, helping get critical building systems online quickly and safely and allowing the hospital to treat more COVID-19 patients sooner.

For more information, visit www.bellgossett.com and www.wea-inc.com.