TP Mechanical’s role in constructing The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s new inpatient hospital tower reflects our commitment to building spaces that care for our community. TP delivered fire protection for what is now the largest building project in OSU’s history. This two-million-square-foot facility features 800 private patient rooms and two floors of operating rooms. It also includes specialized units such as women’s health and burn care. Construction began in late 2020, and the project is nearing completion, with an anticipated opening in early 2026.
TP’s Scope:
- Wet pipe sprinkler systems throughout the patient towers
- Fire pumps and pressure-reducing valve stations
- Helipad fire protection systems on the 26th floor
- Specialized protection for high-risk and critical care areas
- Nitrogen maintained dry systems
The Wexner project included service tie-ins to existing facilities, including the James Cancer Hospital next door, which we also had the opportunity to work on several years ago.
New to our team was the installation of fire protection for the hospital’s helipad. The helipad system, located on the 26th floor, required precise planning to ensure effective fire protection. The team addressed tight tolerances and structural constraints and coordinated with other rooftop systems to deliver a successful solution.
TP collaborated closely with general contractors Turner Construction and Walsh Construction. Effective communication between field teams and leadership contributed to the project’s success. TP Mechanical’s fire protection group, led on-site by Project Executive Shawn Stover, Foreman Chad Finckel, and key players in the field, Brian Darding, Brian Ruth, Jeff Canterbury, Ryan Matlock, Cole Krupa, Chad Fuller, Bruce Rider, Dan Hutchinson, Gage Landenburg, James Arnold, Josh Praither, Keyshawn Brown, Talor Mohler, Robert Davis, managed layout, installation, coordination and field execution internally.
The Fire Protection Design Group, designed for State of Ohio approval, BIM coordinated, and provided stock listing for all prefabricated fire sprinkler systems, led by Mike Hopkins, Todd McDougal, Dave Coppess, and James Coster.
The Wexner Medical Center tower represents the university’s most ambitious healthcare investment to date, and TP Mechanical is honored to have provided expert fire protection design and installation.
“It has been a pleasure to work with TP Mechanical on the fire protection scope at the OSUWMC Inpatient Hospital Project, and previously at the James Cancer Hospital Project. Through my 15+ year partnership with Shawn and his team, it was clear that we took the meaning of this relationship sincerely and acted as true partners”.
“TP Mechanical consistently integrated into the larger project as true collaborators, fully aligned with our shared priorities of safety, quality, and schedule. They were entrusted with a massive scope on this project, along with highly sensitive and complex work involving numerous tie-ins to existing facilities. TP’s expertise—in both their trade and our client’s protocols—was invaluable.” Nigel Carter, Turner Construction – Vice President, Construction Executive
“We could not have completed this project without every aspect of what TP Mechanical brings to the table—from our fire protection design team’s hours of BIM coordination and stock listing to ensure fabrication hit the site on time, to our distribution center packaging those orders for 5:30 a.m. deliveries.
The standout success was our field execution and communications, especially the coordination with the Walsh/Turner field teams. It was truly an honor to be part of this project.” Shaw Stover, TP Mechanical, Project Executive
“Huge shout-out to our incredible crew of sprinkler fitters that worked on the OSU Wexner medical facility project. Your hard work, professionalism, and dedication got this massive job across the finish line, and you did it without a single safety incident. That’s the mark of true skill and teamwork. Thank you for showing up strong every day, looking out for one another, and setting the standard for what excellence on the job site looks like. We appreciate you!” Ben Smith, TP Mechanical, Safety
