GEM Renovates Cold-War Era Building at ORNL

GEM Technologies, Inc. (GEM) is performing extensive renovations for Building 6010, an approximate 50-year-old building at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that, once complete, will host personnel from the UT-Battelle Enrichment Science and Engineering Division. In an effort to create new office space for manufacturing and fabrication functions, GEM’s Field Services Division is performing minor demolition and renovation activities to assist in the reconfiguration of existing infrastructure and architectural modifications.

Todd Conant, Project Manager, in front of a pre-existing high bay facility on the southeast side of the building.

Throughout the project, GEM is responsible for the installation of new HVAC supply and exhaust systems, new interior electrical distribution and telecommunications systems, in addition to building approximately 11,000 square feet office areas of cubicle offices, conference rooms, bathrooms, and support rooms. Aside from interior modifications, GEM is building an enclosed elevator stair tower and construct design-build modifications that will be used to make secure spaces for a Vault-Type Room (VTR).

Furthermore, the building contains existing high bay areas in which classified operations for isotope development and production are performed. These operations are a critical part of the broad-spectrum mission of ORNL. To minimize disruptions, GEM has carefully sequenced work to schedule those disruptive activities during low impact times.

GEM is also building out portions of the first floor to be used as a future laboratory and manufacturing space. “With material supply chain disruptions and logistical challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, GEM was successful in completing base scope work within the target project schedule, providing ORNL with space to expand on-going research operations which was and is the ultimate goal for the Building 6010 Renovation project,” says Todd Conant, GEM’s Project Manager. “We have developed strong relationships with the Lab Modernization Division, Facility Management Division, and facility user groups.” This strong commitment to communication at all levels of the project ensures that potential schedule and budget concerns are mitigated early in the process and that milestones are successfully met. Renovation of the second-floor office space and elevator addition was completed this month and UT-Battelle is currently in the process of moving approximately 80 ORNL workers into the new office space.

Second floor office space completed in Building 6010.

Second floor office space before construction activities were performed.

So far, GEM has managed to maintain 13 months of 100% safe work practices and zero accidents.

This project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2022.