Projects

SOLUTION-DRIVEN CASE STUDIES

One thing we’ve learned in more than 20 years of complex relocations is that each move presents a unique set of challenges, and we don’t flinch when confronted with the unusual or unexpected. We’ve assembled the stories of a few of our more interesting projects to give you an idea of our scope.

Brockman Hall for Physics
RICE UNIVERSITY PROJECT

When Move Resource Group was asked to move a $67 million Rice University laboratory, complete with cages of mice and an unbelievably-complex atom-smashing table, we relied on our training to think “outside the box.”

The atom-smashing table tested our skills. It was so sensitive that as we moved it down the street to its new home, we had a legion of sweepers removing even the smallest acorns and other debris that could unbalance it.

We don’t necessarily celebrate every successful move with champagne, but after moving the table, we broke out the bubbly.

Read the full story below.

Because it’s often difficult to ascertain the complexity as well as similarities in projects, we would like to provide some detailed information about the project at Rice University.  The timeframe of this project was managed during our team’s tenure with iOffice, a continued business partner whose product is facilities management software.

Commonalities

• Moving from multiple relocations/labs into a new facility
• Working with multiple Professors/teams and types of labs
• Working with varied types of equipment, some extremely delicate in nature such as microscope lenses, some with very heavy, complex types of equipment weighing six tons, some needing “life support” throughout the move which would take place on outside pathways on campus (which were covered with oak tree debris and other potential natural elements such as wind and humidity).
• Types of materials: biomedical, hazardous materials, chemicals, gasses, electrical, some equipment very old and delicate (cannot be replicated)
• Putting together a schedule based on lab milestone dates, experiment data timelines & integrating schedules and assigning lead project managers to manage the varied schedules and moves
• Logistics: Experiments were built in place inside old buildings requiring disassembly to relocate (some partial, some complete), removing interior and exterior building walls, building platforms, rigging, craning which involved construction crews and environmental crews on campus

Project Background

Rice University constructed the Brockman Hall for Physics, which was designed by Architect Kieran Timberlake and Constructed by Gilbane Construction. Our commission was to relocate laboratories of various scientists throughout the campus from approximately eight buildings into the Brockman Hall for Physics. Various departments included all experimental, theoretical and applied physicists from departments of Physics and Astronomy and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The new environment set out to create an environment of collaboration and support research in atomic, molecular and optical physics; biophysics; condensed matter physics; nanoengineering and photonics. Components of the building basement included noise, vibration, temperature and humidity control.

The project originated due to the data return from the various buildings and experiments so sensitive that the traffic on the perimeter of the current campus affected the data that the scientist were receiving as well as environmental challenges such as humidity in this region. The facility’s design included vibration and noise controlled underground labs to support the research of the scientists, which met specific requirements of the departments to consolidate the research with the applied physics thus benefiting the entire science community.

Our Commission

To relocate sixteen laboratories into the new facility without exposing them to any elements, preserving years of work building the experiments and data that was collected, minimizing downtime for scientists, relocating everything with no compromising damage and to manage this on time and within budget. To this day, a handwritten thank you note from one of the professors sits on Julie’s desk as a reminder that what we do reaches far beyond the logistics and the move.  

In particular the laser tables of two professors were of great concern. Professors Randy Hulet and Tom Killian were heavily involved in the design of the building as their labs risked negating data they had gathered over 10-12 years. The tables in their labs sit on pneumatic vibration isolation legs to assist with minimizing the vibrations on these experiments, which use lasers to split and cool atoms and have miles and miles of cables and equipment attached to them. The request was that we move these tables as intact as possible so they didn’t have to “rebuild” their experiments, which was most likely impossible.

Upon contacting the table manufacturer to gather information on the weight of the base tables (less experimental components on top and suspended from the ceiling) their response was “you can’t move these tables”. That wasn’t an option for our team. The commission was to move the tables with as little disassembly as possible and managing components like humidity, dust particles, and vibration – and the tables should not be tilted more than 15 degrees during the process. The vacuum equipment and optical elements would remain on the tables.

After spending time interviewing the professors and their departments, it was determined that these experiments had the following basic components:

1. They were highly sensitive and delicate
2. Immeasurable value
3. They weighed somewhere between four to six tons
4. They had to be moved from one building to another without compromising any aspect of the experiment
5. We had to create a way to accomplish this which meant finding the right resources
6. This had never been done before

Realizing there was a similarity in commission to what museums sometimes need to accomplish, we did some research and ultimately reached out to the museum preparator for the Houston Museum of Natural Science. They recommended a local company, TyArt, to assist with engineering and collaborating to relocate these tables. This company was acquired by Rice to join the team and to work with our relocation team to create a plan.

The Plan

The final plan resulted in multiple vendors coming together along with the engineers of the building, facilities department and an extensive move team that coordinated and mitigated issues thoroughly before the move began. We purchased water tanks, filled them with water and tested the weight load of the internal overhead crane, which was incorporated into the building design to attach and lower the tables down into the basement through removable cement blocks to test the weight limit. We built “mobile homes” with lightweight materials with components that could be interchanged to accommodate the various lengths and widths of tables. These encasements had cut out windows so that we could monitor the experiments inside, and tubing to connect to power sources to support the vacuum systems, which needed to continually function during the move.

To prepare these tables, the lasers had to be removed and carefully crated for relocation, the experiments had to be disconnected at points where they had been attached to the ceilings of the building and between tables. Each of those cables had to be labeled and categorized, each piece of equipment in the room had to be accounted for on our equipment list along with pertinent data. The room temperatures had to be brought down to ambient temperature over time to negate humidity and condensation; multiple layers of clear film covered the tables, in case one might be compromised. The tables had to be strategically balanced and attached to the encasement, which then was transferred on to a pneumatic set of lifts with air bladders that were designed by one of our resources recommended by the museum.

Once the tables were ready to be relocated, the pathway had to be evaluated, swept free of acorns or anything that might cause vibration, trees overhead had to be evaluated and measured for clearance and of course, the Houston weather was a factor as well. One particular lab had to have a portion of the building exterior removed and a platform built so that the table could be located to the outside where it was then lifted with stabilizing bars and a crane located across the street to the pneumatic lifts that were placed on the street. We opted to push all these experiments through the campus to the new building eliminating the risks of tilting by loading them on to trucks and driving them.

Once inside the building the tables were again balanced by the stabilizers, connected to the overhead crane system and manually lowered one inch at a time down into the basement. During this time, the pneumatic lifts were taken down to the basement through an elevator system and placed on the floor at the exact point where the table would need to be balanced on the lift and then once secured; they were rolled into place in the new laboratory.

Final Word

In one of my initial interviews with Professor Hulet, he calmly explained to me that he understood that this building (a $64 million project) had been built primarily for labs like his but if he wasn’t comfortable with the process, he wouldn’t relocate until he was comfortable with the plan. I came away from that conversation understanding that his life’s work was in my hands.

His lab with multiple tables and the largest, a 16 foot, six ton table was the last one to make it into the new building. Once the table was settled into place, Professor Hulet and his lab team went to retrieve several bottles of champagne that they had hidden in ice chests, poured us all a glass and he said: “Julie, I never thought this could be done, and I thought at a minimum, I would be down for two years. We will be back up and running within two weeks and I can’t thank you enough.” With tears in his eyes (and everybody else’s) we toasted to a successful project and new beginnings.

GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP PROJECT

MAKING SURE “HOUSTON’S FRONT DOOR” STAYED OPEN.

Move Resource Group was honored to be the move management firm for Greater Houston Partnership’s move to the new Partnership Tower. Greater Houston Partnership is Houston’s ‘front door” to the world, and settling them in their new offices was a tremendous responsibility. Our goal was to ensure as little down-time as possible for everyone in the company. The story of how we did it reads below.

Houston has always been a city of innovative leadership, exhibiting a rich and diverse culture and a hospitable spirit.  Now the city has a huge “welcome mat” with the new Partnership Tower, which is a place for global leaders, near and far, to see the city from a unique angle, both inside and outside of the new building.  After stepping off the elevator, the interior corridor gives visitors a view of a video/interactive display panel, which can be customized to greet visitors, and the Instagram Wall, which showcases a canvas of Houston’s citizens and sights. Guests can step outside onto the 9^th floor, 2,030 sq. ft. terrace to take in a beautiful view of Houston, from downtown to all points beyond.  The details included in the new space are articulate, from the acoustics as you move from room to room, to the “greater than” symbols interspersed throughout the glass office panels.

As move managers for the Greater Houston Partnership, we provided the organization with the ability to have a stress-free move, creating minimal downtime for the employees to continue effectively doing their jobs while transitioning to a new building.   Move Resource Group relocated Greater Houston Partnership into their new space which occupies 50,000 square feet and can accommodate 120 employees.

Our team members enjoyed the presentations of Greater Houston Partnership’s new space on Media Day and at the Member Open House.  We appreciate Greater Houston Partnership’s commitment to hiring their members, such as MRG, to execute this move project.  We are proud to be a part of GHP’s move to the new “front door” of Houston!

CHRISTUS.STEHLIN

Move Consultant engaged to manage intricate and delicate cancer research foundation. Facility housed over 7,000 genetically bred mice that contained live cancer cells from specific patients. Consultant was commissioned to relocate colony, which was bred down to 5,000 mice at move time, from one location to another with various departments moving in perfect sequence that would support life sustaining components of the vivarium concurrently in two locations should any emergencies arise or if the building was found unstable for life of the animals.

Consultant provided several personnel to manage and monitor various components of the facility’s relocation and construction. Example is air quality – consultant had to be informed up to the minute of any air quality affects from off gassing, of construction materials that might affect the sustainability of the air to the animals. Any changes or problems would abort the migration mid process.

This research facility’s animals were injected with live cancer cells from patients. In the above photo you can see the labels on the cages which have individual names on them. The need for perfection in this move literally had lives in the balance. This project was managed so that no animals were lost.

Project Facts

• Industry: Cancer Research Facility
• Relocation Planning, Logistics, Sequencing, Oversight
• 26,905 Square Feet Involved
• 10 Month project duration
• Houston, TX
• 20 Employee Relocations
• 7,000 Mouse Vivarium

Benefits

• Client needed a detailed team to program a time sensitive vivarium relocation
• Consultant engaged multiple service providers to oversee equipment programming, relocation of live animals, and file/shelving relocations.
• Develop master relocation plan that insured successful mouse relocation.
• Multiple project managers available to client to manage various move components such as equipment, mice, employee moves.
• Single point of contact Project Manager throughout process.

Client Needs

• Relocation Management
• Executable Plan of Migration
• Vivarium Experience
• Vendor Coordination
• Managing schedule and generate contingency plan to relocate various departments in perfect sequence to support life sustaining components of vivarium concurrently in two locations should any emergencies arise

Services Provided

• Develop relocation plans and contingency plans should any problems arise.
• Identify relocation deliverables and the functional teams responsible for each deliverable
• Oversee all FFE programming and commissioning
• Develop live animal migration plan insuring germ free, stress free environment. Additional components were temperature, weather and building preparedness.
• Perform an additional move of a small colony of animals prior to entire colony migration to insure life sustainability in the new environment.
• Facilitate regular team and vendor project meetings