Design concept of the new Charles Harwood Memorial Complex. By. V.I. DEPT. OF HEALTH, FLAD ARCHITECTS.
The USVI public was once again alerted to prepare for the demolition of the 70-year-old Charles Harwood Memorial Complex, badly damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
A 14-day notice to indicate the start of construction of the new facility in Christiansted, St. Croix will shortly be issued via public communication outlets. “Notice is being published to newspapers and other sources,” Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion said during Monday's Gov't House press briefing.
The demolition of the old site is scheduled to start on February 15 and is anticipated to last for 270 days.
Once the main building, the annex building and other permanent structures on the site are torn down, construction of the replacement building will begin.
“The demolition scope includes a full clearing of the structures on the site including demolition of a three-story main building, one-story annex building and five other buildings, and relocation of other temporary structures on the site such as the modular lab,” she explained.
According to Ms. Encarnacion, the old buildings will be replaced by a state-of-the-art public health facility that is 200,000 sq feet in size. “The new facility will promote health and wellness and house a range of clinical services such as community health, behavioral health, and family planning as well other public health services including environmental health, epidemiology and vital statistics,” she added.
The DOH commissioner said meetings have been held with the public and other stakeholders so that they are aware of project dates. The department will continue to meet with the public throughout the project to address any concerns that may arise.
The new Charles Harwood facility, which is anticipated to be more hurricane resilient and more energy efficient, is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
Developer Flad Architects will utilize funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to construct the building.
The project will cost a total of $291 million which includes funds for the abatement and demolition of the old structure, construction of the new facility as well as the contents inside. This first phase of the project was initially slated to begin in late August/ early September of 2022.
