Kansas City Proton Institute

As the Kansas City region’s first privately owned, physician-led proton therapy center, Kansas City Proton Institute is helping to make lifesaving cancer treatment more accessible and affordable for the community. 

The two-story, 34,000-square-foot medical office building specializes in advanced radiation therapy, delivered in an outpatient setting. Because patients tend to experience fewer side effects than with traditional treatment approaches, they can return to their normal activities more quickly. 

Precise construction activities included the erection of a special structural foundation to support a 35-foot by 35-foot concrete vault that houses the cyclotron particle accelerator and stands 28 feet tall. 

McCarthy self-performed more than 30 percent of the work, including 25 percent of the most technical and complicated aspects. McCarthy also self-performed all concrete work, placing 2,800 yards of concrete during a 12-week period. 

Innovative tools and approaches helped the construction team maintain precise structural tolerances while achieving time and cost efficiencies. Robotic total stations ensured a model-based digital layout process tied to real-world coordinates, while high-definition laser scanning allowed for post-pour reality capture of structural elements to verify accuracy. And augmented reality enabled construction crews to build virtually before a shovel hit the ground, ultimately ensuring a best-in-class approach to quality.