St. Francis Medical Center

Colorado Springs, Colorado

At St. Francis Medical Center, we built 150 feet of waterfalls wedged between the three-story parking structure and the medical wing, which proved to be quite the technical challenge! The stream ribbons over 500 tons of boulders into three lily pad ponds separated by access sidewalks.

Starting in a quiet prayer garden just outside of the fourth story critical care unit, the stream quickly picks up size and speed. We embedded the cornerstone of the original 100-year-old hospital near the quiet reflection pools. Several stone benches encourage medical personnel, patients, and visitors alike to pause and take in the soothing sounds of the cascading water. The site provides an escape for the nurses and doctors as well as a well-deserved lunch area that would be a lifeless, sterile environment without the water.

The logistical challenges faced by our crews on this job included setting hundreds of tons of boulders (some up to 15 tons!) and retaining the site on top of the facility basement and mechanical rooms, which left very little room for error. We had to build our way out of a tight area as we cut off our own access, so the final result was no less than a magical feat considering the hundreds of separate trades involved and the tight time scheduled!