Founded in 1786, Lynchburg, Virginia, has more nationally registered historic properties per capita than any city of its size nationwide. It is well-known for the Civil War’s Battle of Lynchburg, which occurred nearly 100 years after its founding.
Today, the town’s rural setting offers residents few facilities for comprehensive medical care. Consequently, Centra Medical Group sought to rent property in town to begin a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE, a Medicare/Medicaid program, aims to help adults ages 55 and older. It’s designed to help them get health care in the community instead of at nursing homes or other residential facilities.
While renovating, Centra discovered the original concrete floors from 1918 had no vapor barrier, making vinyl difficult to install. Since concrete flooring potentially poses a hazard for the fall-risk elderly, Centra spent hundreds of thousands of dollars redoing floors. But with summer weather in Lynchburg reaching up to 97% humidity, water-based products wouldn’t adhere to the concrete.
To bring the newly leased building into compliance, Centra hired Mark Jakobowski, an architect for Pathmark Consulting and Design. Very familiar with the town’s construction challenges, he has worked with Lynchburg for years to remedy buildings not meeting code.
“I did several weeks of research on moisture barriers and coatings before starting the project. Laticrete products provided the solution I needed,” Jakobowski says. “So, we turned to Buck Collins of Collins Concrete Coatings to install the floors.”
The Challenge
The project presented two major challenges:
- Americans with Disabilities Act compliance: The ADA civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice, the highest authority for building construction practices, enforces it. Collins was tasked with leveling the floors so they weren’t hazardous for the elderly. The company also had to ensure the work complied with ADA’s accessibility regulations. Two areas of the building even required rework to guarantee compliance.
- Demolition interference: During renovation, the building remained open so the hospital could continue operation. As a result, the contractor had to break up the demolition process in two phases.
Centra occupied about 60% of the 21,000-square-foot (1,950-square-meter) building when construction began. After completion, it planned to expand into the full space. Jakobowski brought in a contractor to demolish the walls and vacate old plumbing and electricity lines in two phases. This allowed Centra to continue to see patients while prep work progressed. Once the crew finished prepping, Centra temporarily relocated so that the team could finish the job.
Laticrete presents the solution
To prep for the Laticrete products and ensure the flooring met ADA compliance, Collins brought in a company from Philadelphia. Because no locally based business had the necessary equipment, the out-of-towner performed the demolition and surface preparation.
Following the surface prep, Collins applied Spartacote Moisture Vapor Barrier, a 100% solids epoxy. The Laticrete epoxy controls the moisture vapor emission rate from existing concrete slabs prior to installing any other products.
After this, Collins used Nxt Level to produce a flat, smooth and hard surface for the installation of finished flooring. He then added another skim coat of the moisture vapor barrier. To make the floor look less sterile, he used a darker color of the Spartacote Blended Chip. He then applied a clear layer of Spartacote Flex Pure Clinical Plus, a perfect antimicrobial treated system for medical facilities, to finish the application.
In part, the Centra team selected Spartacote Flex Pure Clinical Plus because of the resinous floor coating’s fast-curing, decorative properties. But above all, they selected it because its antimicrobial technology keeps the floor coating cleaner by inhibiting microbial growth.
The specialized antimicrobial treated system offers excellent impact, abrasion and chemical resistance characteristics. It’s perfect for demanding environments that require safe, durable, high-traction flooring, such as locker rooms and hospital operating rooms.
Unlike traditional coatings or surface treatments, the Spartacote coating remains active for the floor’s lifetime — even when damaged or worn. Additionally, Spartacote Flex Pure Clinical Plus has low VOCs and doesn’t emit strong solvent odors during installation. It also gives floor owners a fast return to service.
Happy ending
Thanks to Laticrete, Collins Concrete Coatings has helped Centra PACE enhance the lives of older adults with chronic needs. By providing care and services from a team of compassionate, qualified professionals, PACE has empowered participants to live in their homes and in the community for as long as it’s medically and socially safe. Thanks to the new space, Centra PACE Lynchburg now serves more than 100 local seniors.
Due to the successful completion of Centra PACE, Jakobowski has already booked additional jobs with similar flooring projects. “The process went so well, I’ll continue to use Laticrete products on these future installations,” Jakobowski says.
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