Healthcare facilities have been common projects for area electrical contractors, and University Electric is powering one of the latest, the Mercy Health Behavioral Hospital.
Construction has been underway on Belmont Avenue in Liberty for the last several months. The building is adjacent to the recently opened rehabilitation hospital. It’s the result of a partnership between Mercy Health – Youngstown and Lifepoint Behavioral Health.
Electrical groundwork started in summer 2024, and by fall, the facility was starting to take shape. Thousands of feet of conduit were installed to support the future electrical infrastructure of the hospital.
“When I came on site in September, the walls were going up and the roof was being installed,” said Billy Zarlingo, foreman, University Electric.
Winds of change bring delays
However, as fall turned into winter, the weather posed some challenges. The single-digit temperatures and high winds in January slowed the pace of work.
“You need certain temperatures to glue the roofing materials down,” Zarlingo said. “There were days the crane couldn’t operate because of the wind. That really affected how fast we could move.”
Another delay came from fireproofing.
Before electricians could begin overhead installations, a fireproof coating had to be applied in the ceiling spaces and roof beams. That work couldn’t begin until temperatures were warm enough.
“We lost a good chunk of January, but we’re catching up now.”
Building strategy…in phases
The building construction is moving in four phases, A through D, to keep the workflow efficient across all trades.
“There’s a method to the sequence,” he explained. “Once an area is done, we move on while other trades follow behind. It keeps the process smooth and avoids costly downtime.”
Zarlingo oversees at least six electricians on the project, and that’s adjusted as needed depending on the stage of work.
Apprentices are also involved, gaining valuable experience alongside seasoned journeymen.
“This is the kind of job where you learn a lot – from underground work to overhead and everything in between,” he said.
Electrical inner workings
The power system for the facility is designed with multiple electrical rooms to support the building’s phased layout.
“We started in the main electric room, which is where everything originates. That was one of the first spaces we focused on because it feeds the rest of the system.”
From the main room, a secondary electrical board was installed to power phases A and B, the initial construction zones.
“We set that up so we could start working those areas independently while the rest of the building was still coming together. It gave us the flexibility to keep moving without having to wait on the full structure,” Zarlingo said.
Now that work is moving into the C and D phases, another electrical room is being built to serve the back half of the facility.
“We’re basically replicating what we did up front. Each part of the building will have its own dedicated distribution. The layout is efficient, accessible and future-ready.”
Once completed, it will be a 72-bed facility and provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for a range of mental illnesses. It’s expected to open in fall 2025.
University Electric is a member contractor of NECA-IBEW Electricians, an association consisting of IBEW Local 64 in Youngstown, IBEW Local 573 in Warren and signatory electrical contractors throughout the Mahoning Valley.