The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Specialty Care Center

Words: Chad CorleyIn order to meet the growing medical needs in Philadelphia and the surrounding communities, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) opened a new 145,000 square-foot Specialty Care Center with expanded ambulatory care and surgery services. The two-building campus design features refracting light, bold colors and “wandering” elements like ponds and eddies to create a positive healing environment for patients of all ages and cultures.

A less glamorous, but critical element of the campus is the 337,400 square-foot six-level underground garage constructed to accommodate thousands of patients, visitors and staff each day. D.M. Sabia Construction used QUIKRETE® Mason Mix Type S Mortar to lay more than 300,000 blocks filled with more than 1,300 yards of QUIKRETE® Core-Fill Grout Fine to complete the garage, which earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

QUIKRETE® Mortar is a high strength, commercial grade, dry pre-blended mixture of sand and cements specially selected for masonry applications. It meets N, S, M requirements as specified in ASTM C270. Integral Pigments may be added to match any existing mortar colors or new construction.

QUIKRETE® Core-Fill Grout is a properly proportioned mixture of Portland cement, graded sand, and other ingredients designed to provide a flowable grout requiring only the addition of water. It’s available in coarse or fine versions.
About: Featured
What gives with head protection? Why workers want to keep their hard hats and ditch safety helmets.
April 2025

Last August, I took my pickup to the dealership for a nagging check engine light. While it was being looked over, I chatted with the salesman I normally deal with, and he told me about the latest and greatest 2025 models. He told me how the twin turbo inl

Government Affairs: Bringing North Carolina to Washington, D.C. and Hopefully Young People to Your Jobsites
April 2025

For you long time members of the Mason Contractors Association of America you likely remember our Annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In where MCAA members from around the country would come to Washington, D.C. meeting with Members of Congress from their home sta

Chairman's Message: While We Are Still Here
April 2025

I truly value my days working on construction sites during the summers of my high school and college days. Some moments in our youth are so clearly meaningful that we file them away in our subconscious to be recalled when life events require inspiration.

Contractor Tip of the Month: The Tough Calls That Define a Leader
April 2025

In construction, every project balances a delicate trio: coordination, precision, and timing. However, beyond blueprints and schedules, leadership demands something far greater—the ability to lead and make difficult decisions that shape the future of a co