Conquering a Giant

In 2016, our Technology sector completed Project Goliath, the largest data center ever delivered within 180 days. Built for CyrusOne, the 22.5MW, 225,000-square-foot greenfield facility was one of our most challenging and rewarding projects, truly living up to its name.

“It’s daunting to know you’re doing something that’s never been done before,” said Senior Vice President Evan Antonides who led the team. “Our knowledge of the local market allowed us to team with the best subcontractors to tackle the challenging and high risk project timeline.”

Dubbed Goliath for the facility’s immense size, the team knew they had a formidable challenge ahead of them. Despite challenges and setbacks, they never backed down. From removing 35,000 cubic yards of unsuitable soil at the building footprint, to self-mobilizing to conquer three feet of snow on the jobsite, the team never faltered in the face of difficulty.

While the snow fall that year was historic, so too were the rain showers the team endured for more than 23 days. They managed to keep the critical path on course, adjusting exterior site activities to maintain the original schedule, while ensuring the data center remained watertight.

A failed electrical switchboard was discovered during commissioning, but with help from the electrician and equipment vendor, the team turned things around again. Working 72 hours straight, they had a new board delivered and installed, allowing testing to resume without impacting the timeline. Despite all of this, Goliath passed the final integrated systems test two days ahead of schedule.

A record-setting 180 days after starting, the team delivered the project on-time, commissioned, and occupant-ready for CyrusOne. Tenant move-in commenced and Goliath was conquered.

“This team never made excuses. There was a desire to keep the project moving and never let ego get in the way,” explained Evan. “With 26 HITT team members on Project Goliath, it took total team alignment to accomplish our mission and take down the giant.”

Laramie Dorris, CyrusOne Vice President of Data Center Design and Construction added: “There simply is not a path to get here without a selfless team that’s committed to not only the cause, but to supporting each other’s success. To date in my professional career, the single greatest honor I’ve had is to be a part of this Project Goliath Team.”Team.”