University of Mississippi Medical Center

Building Enclosure Evaluation (Original Tower)
Jackson, Mississippi

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is an 8-story, 350,000 sf hospital tower with a basement level. The hospital facility (constructed in 1955) is a full-functioning hospital with 24/7 operation/occupancy.  The facility is designated as a State “Historic Building”, which required coordination with the State Archives and History Division. The building is constructed mainly of concrete columns, beams, and floor slabs with concrete block (CMU) and structural clay tile walls with brick veneer.

Gale conducted an evaluation of the building enclosure, including windows, brick veneer, metal wall panels, cast-in-place concrete, basement areas and roof systems on the Main Tower of the hospital facility. Work included photographic inspection, analysis of glazing systems and windows, destructive testing of representative wall assemblies to verify back-up waterproofing systems and flashings, thermal performance analysis of building enclosure components, life cycle and damage assessment. Our report documented existing (in-place) construction, deficiencies, renovation needs, recommendations, and preliminary pricing and proposed enclosure improvements for consideration in future historic renovations of the original “1955 Tower”.