Location Detroit, MI
Client U.S. General Services Administration
Services Construction Management
Project Value $135 Million
Hill provided construction manager as agent services to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for the modernization of the 985 Michigan Avenue Federal Office Building in GSA’s Region 5.
The 550,000 SF Federal Office Building is located in Detroit, MI. The facility features 10 stories above ground and a basement, as well as a 10-story, 288,000SF parking garage with approximately 850 spaces. GSA undertook a $135 million modernization project to extend the building’s useful life, improve tenant comfort and operational efficiency, and consolidate Federal agencies from other leased locations in Detroit. The modernization included improvements to HVAC systems, repairs to the passenger and freight elevators, replacement of the roof, repairs to the building’s windows and façade, upgrades to the fire alarm and sprinkler systems, repairs to the plumbing system and public restrooms, improvements to the electrical infrastructure, and repairs to the parking garage and site.
As construction manager as agent, the Hill team provided a full range of management consultancy services during construction and closeout of the modernization, helping the project team manage risk, control budget and schedule, and deliver a high-quality project. The Hill team also helped GSA overcome several major challenges during construction. For example, 985 Michigan Avenue remained partially occupied during construction. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has offices on floors one to six, and the eighth floor houses one of only two IRS printing operations in the country. This IRS Print Shop runs 24/7, 352 days a year. Hill implemented a comprehensive communication plan and actively involved property management to coordinate construction activities with all tenants, help ensure continued operations, and facilitate timely responses to any issues. The Hill team also developed detailed scheduling, migration planning, and tenant coordination to help move the IRS Print Shop from the eighth floor to a lower level of the building without disrupting operations. These efforts were critical to the success of the project.
