Texas Facilities Commission’s North Austin Complex Phase One was completed last week, on time and on budget, even during the pandemic. The project includes a nine-story office building, central utility plant and 1,850-space parking garage.

When the COVID pandemic hit, more than 300 construction workers were on site each day. Adhering to social distancing protocols was one of the biggest challenges for Vaughn Construction, the contractor overseeing the project. Its COVID-19 policy mandated a reduction in crew size from 15-person crews down to three or four people. Crews worked together in the same area every day for an entire week to reduce the possibility of COVID spread and facilitate contact tracing. Face-to-face meetings were replaced with virtual meetings, and Vaughn hosted virtual inspections of the work progress to maintain the schedule.

The collaborative effort between all the workers with enhanced sanitation, additional personal protective equipment and social distancing allowed this essential project to be delivered on time. Approximately 1,500 employees from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will occupy the building in June 2021.