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If there is a contractor that is perfect for the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center project, it is JE Dunn Construction Group Inc. Senior Project Manager Mike Comer says the firm has the right combination of medical and military work experience for the project.

The contractor is now building the project’s first and second phases at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. According to the U.S. Air Force, the new building will be the largest ambulatory surgical center in the Department of Defense, with ambulatory surgery, primary care, outpatient and ancillary care services.

JE Dunn has a $70 million contract for its portion of the project, which includes the construction of temporary facilities and a parking garage on the site. The contractor also is building a new central energy plant and a utility tunnel that will connect it with the surgical center.

Proud to Build

Comer says JE Dunn has completed several projects at the base, including the 55,000-square-foot McKelland Dental Clinic. He adds that working on these projects at the base gives him pride.

“I’m proud to help support our soldiers and their families,” he says. “We’re not just building a clinic; it’s for our guys and girls that are out there.”

He adds that JE Dunn’s work allows it to help the government provide more technically advanced care. For instance, at the dental clinic, practitioners can produce 3-D models of a human jaw, Comer says. “You get to see how they’re helping our wounded soldiers and veterans all the time, every day,” he adds.

Green Points

Both the Wilford Hall and McKelland centers are LEED projects, Comer says. While Wilford is aiming for LEED Silver, McKelland should achieve LEED Gold. “All the points are there,” he says, noting that the base is waiting to receive McKelland’s certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

As JE Dunn has built Wilford Hall, it has used recycled building materials, as well as wood that was harvested with accredited forest practices. “They’re not just cutting forests down, [but also] replanting trees,” he says. 

At the Top

Based in Kansas City, Mo., JE Dunn’s history goes back to 1924 when John Ernest Dunn founded the company. “What began as a small, family run residential contractor would eventually grow into one of the top general building contractors in the country with approximate annual revenues of $2.7 billion and 20 office locations coast to coast,” the company says.

“Today, JE Dunn Construction is a leading provider of construction management services, design/build and integrated project delivery,” the company continues.

“Its time honored tradition of delivering construction in a manner exceeding the expectation of clients holds true today,” the company adds. “We look forward to coming years as we give and grow into the 21st century.”

Additionally, JE Dunn strives for perfection in each of its buildings. “It’s something we aspire to on a daily basis, through our use of technology, project-specific initiatives and attention to the world around us,” the company says. “How we strive to reach this lofty goal is what sets us apart, [and] it’s what makes JE Dunn Construction different.”

Comer sees more projects ahead for JE Dunn in San Antonio. “There’s work at Fort Sam across the city,” he says. “It always seems like the government is spending on the military and healthcare.”