What began as a bold vision to meet the growing healthcare needs of south-central Minnesota became a historic transformation for Mayo Clinic Health System. The Tower Expansion in Mankato redefined the regional landscape of care—adding 121 hospital beds through a three-story vertical addition to an active facility, and delivering a new standard of patient experience, comfort, and capacity. At the heart of this complex project, Empirehouse played a key role in bringing the building’s striking exterior to life—balancing innovation, precision, and collaboration at every step.

Scope:

• Unitized curtain wall with custom, artistic grid layout
• Punched windows and ICU sliders
• Unicel borrowed lites
• Heavywall interior glass systems
• Custom brake metal shapes and flashing
• Insulated metal panels and back pans
• Pre-glazing and unitization
• Pre-rigged bunks for crane efficiency
• Installation over occupied multi-story structure
• Strategic weather safety and logistical planning

With a century-long legacy of excellence in healthcare, Marshfield Clinic Health System expanded its commitment to comprehensive care through the addition of its Cancer Care Building in Eau Claire, WI. Empirehouse played a key role in bringing this cutting-edge facility to life through expert glazing, metalwork, and innovative solutions.

This 36,000 SF project features inside-set frames, panels, and glass systems, designed to enhance both performance and aesthetics. Notably, Empirehouse installed a high-performance thermal composite pressure-wall system with clear insulated glass and decorative laminated glass to reflect the building’s modern design.

When unexpected discrepancies in precast dimensions threatened timelines, Empirehouse responded swiftly, adjusting frame dimensions on-site to maintain precision and progress—underscoring the team’s agility, craftsmanship, and collaborative spirit.

The project was successfully coordinated using BIM 360 Glue, allowing for a fully modeled digital environment prior to physical construction—streamlining installation, minimizing risk, and increasing project efficiency.

Scope:

• 36,000 SF of glazing systems

• Inside-set glass, frames, and panels

• Thermal composite aluminum pressure-wall framing system

• Clear high-performance coated insulated glass

• Decorative laminated uncoated glass

• Interior aluminum curtain wall in hospital vestibules

• Automatic aluminum door systems

• Metal panel systems for mechanical penthouse

• Decorative ACM (Aluminum Composite Material) cladding

• BIM 360 Glue virtual coordination and modeling