Lessons Learned from Multiphase Reconstruction Project

Because of the constraints of the existing building, a reconstruction project is more complicated and difficult than a new project, and a multiphase reconstruction project is even more complicated and difficult than a single-phase reconstruction project because of the additional constraints imposed by the owner to ensure the normal operation of the remaining portion of the building. In this study, the experiences gained during the first five phases of the multiphase reconstruction of the Technological Institute building on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston, Illinois, are examined through a review of the construction documents and interviews with representatives of virtually all the major parties involved in the project. The problems encountered are then analyzed within the framework of the contractual approach used and the experiences accumulated, primarily from the construction of new facilities, to deduce the variety of lessons learned. Chief among these lessons are: (1) The strong need for effective project management at all levels with continuous communication among all parties and the authority to render timely decisions; (2) the importance of a contract document that establishes a strong basis for handling uncertainties and changes that arise during construction; and (3) the special problems that stem from the multiphase reconstruction of a combined academic and research facility.