Vireo Health Bluebird | Johnstown, NY — CORDOS CONSTRUCTION

Vireo Health Bluebird | Johnstown, NY

At a final cost of over $80 million, Vireo Health’s Bluebird is one of the largest and most advanced cultivation facilities in New York, employing state-of-the-art design and building technologies to enable production of the some of the highest quality cannabis products in the nation. Sprawling across 22 acres of Vireo’s 93-acre site within NY state’s infamous juvenile detention campus that later transformed into Tryon Technology Park, the 325,000 square foot single-story structure was planned and constructed by Cordos’ design-led design-build team, all during the COVID pandemic and resulting supply chain crisis that plagued nearly every market sector and individual business in the nation.

Cordos won the Bluebird project in Spring 2021 following a competitive design-build selection process against several major NY state contractors. Vireo selected Cordos based on our extensive cultivation facility portfolio for major MSOs and our aggressive approach to expedited project delivery and cost management. Our fast-track schedule targeted completion of the facility by Q3 2022, in preparation for NY state’s roll-out of adult-use cannabis program in 2022, which itself was delayed on several occasions.

The Bluebird project began with an intensive design process with Vireo leadership and staff, incorporating must-have elements such as insulated precast panels, robust hydronic mechanical systems, LED task and cultivation lighting, and combined heat and power (CHP) cogeneration to provide additional electrical capacity to the building.

As COVID either halted or protracted manufacturing schedules of many building materials and equipment, several major items were pre-purchased on the day of contract execution, including structural steel, insulated precast wall panels, custom roof-mounted air handling units, and primary electrical switchgear.

Construction commenced in July 2021 with hazardous material abatement and demolition of ten existing detention buildings, followed by 85,000 cubic yards of cut and fill earthwork to accommodate the 660-foot x 600-foot building. Throughout the construction schedule, the Cordos team was forced to implement real-time design changes to address ongoing site and supply chain challenges that would have otherwise affected cost and schedule. Cordos’ management team worked closely with the A/E team, local trade contractors, equipment suppliers, local utilities, and permitting authorities to stay within the overall schedule without sacrificing project scope or construction quality.

Following several owner-initiated project pauses and delays that included two separate redesigns to address potential buyer preferences, Bluebird finally began full operation in early 2024 and is currently producing the high-quality products Vireo had originally intended. Cordos and its design team continue to consult on operational system upgrades and future expansion plans. This challenging journey stands as testament to the team's ability to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of creating a remarkable and industry-leading cannabis cultivation facility. The project's backstories underscore the complexities inherent in large-scale construction projects and highlight the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to the end goal.

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