GSA HHS Philadelphia Regional Office, Strawbridge Building Consolidation

In 2016, the GSA began plans to move the Region 3 Health and Human Services offices to a new lease space in the Strawbridge & Clothier Building at 801 Market Street in the Center City area of Philadelphia, covering 79k SF of space on the eighth floor and a portion of the ninth floors of the building.

Twelve divisions operate within the Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 3 organization. This location would consolidate each of these divisions in shared spaces and attached suites, with various joint use spaces utilized by all HHS employees. The scope of this project consisted of the design and construction of a new consolidated workspace, with special accommodations for the agency including design and installation of IT/communications, Audio Visual improvements, minor structural alterations, and tenant security. This space was designed as a Level 2 Secure site with Ballistic proof windows, cameras, and additional measures.

AFG provided cost estimating services and submitted detailed cost data, managed the design process and tracked the project budget throughout the lifecycle of the project using CSI format. Through all phases, AFG provided on-site personnel to manage project management, administration, and coordination. AFG provided detailed and frequent coordination with all 12 HHS sections, organizing 23 tenant organization coordinators in addition to other project stakeholders including GSA, the lessor, the designer, general contractor, sub-contractors, furniture vendors and movers. AFG met an exceptionally tight schedule for the move management services. This project had many unique challenges to which GSA-AFG responded with a great degree of innovation and creativity to complete the project on time, despite challenges including design delays, compressed construction schedule, and critical move schedule and decommissioning.