Philadelphia FIGHT was established in 1990 as a non-profit organization funded, in part, by the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office of Philadelphia. FIGHT provides clients comprehensive primary care, consumer education, research, and advocacy for people living with HIV/AIDS and those at high risk of developing HIV/AIDS. FIGHT has annually attracted additional patients, and with that growth comes the need to update the existing facilities.

FIGHT initially engaged Watchdog to manage the renovation of its Pediatric and Adolescent Health Center located in Center City, Philadelphia. During the remodel, the Watchdog team members worked with the architect, led the bidding process, helped with contractor selection, and coordinated with the landlord. The team focused on managing cost and delivering the project quickly to allow medical staff to provide care to patients as soon as possible.

After the Pediatric and Adolescent Center was complete, FIGHT requested Watchdog’s management services for a Digital Literacy Center and the relocation of two existing clinics. Each project was extremely fast-paced with tremendously tight budgets. The Watchdog team put together comprehensive schedules and included as much scope as possible within the project’s budget.

The Watchdog team met with the FIGHT staff to understand the needs of each space, helped secure the architect, and oversaw construction. In addition, the team monitored construction crews in one of the previous FIGHT clinics as they removed custom features before handing it back over to the landlord before the lease expired.

Watchdog continues to work with FIGHT as an Owner’s Representative on additional build-out projects. FIGHT funds most of its projects through grants that require accurate estimates. The Watchdog team reviews the estimates for the planned projects; once the project is approved, it quickly brings in contractors. Together, they look for ways to lower costs without compromising quality and achieve the most with FIGHT’s limited budget.