Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building

Jackson, MS

The Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building is a fifteen-story, 30-year-old federal office building in downtown Jackson undergoing renovations to make it safer and greener. The project is a restack project which will see the removal and replacement of the entire sprinkler system, as well as complete floor renovations.

The fire protection scope of work includes wet pipe sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, and a fire pump. As of October 2010, NFP has completed and turned over five floors, installed new standpipes, and the fire pump. Other approved areas are currently in progress.

This project has been very challenging. To begin with, the building floors were bid and built separately. Secondly, the building remains occupied, with existing systems that must stay active throughout the project. Third, the renovations are not in order per floor. As a government agency is ready to start relocation, that floor is put onto the schedule for the next renovation. Lastly, there are issues with the removal and replacement itself. As a floor or area is taken out of service for renovation, the system is disconnected from the existing standpipe and removed. The new system is installed and must be put into service through a completely new standpipe supply due to microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC) issues; the new systems cannot be connected to the existing system standpipes because of this.