DOH Goes Before CZM for Demo of Charles Harwood Complex
The V.I. Health Department went before the St. Croix Coastal Zone Management Committee on Friday to seek approval of its plans for the complete demolition of the Charles Harwood Memorial Hospital’s main building, annex building, and other permanent structures on the site, followed by the construction of a replacement building.
2022-08-15 14:07:21 - VI News Staff
The demolition scope includes a full clearing of the structures on the site, including demolition of the three-story main building, one-story annex, and five outer buildings, and relocation of other temporary structures on the site, such as the Modular Lab.
The replacement building will be a state-of-the-art public health facility, which will be over 200,000 square feet in size, according to the Health Department. 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 as other public health services, including environmental health, epidemiology, and vital statistics, it said.
The Charles Harwood Hospital was constructed around 1952–1953 and was the main hospital for St. Croix until 1982 when Juan F. Luis Hospital was built. After 1982 the Health Department decided to utilize the Juan F. Luis Hospital as its primary medical facility.
Assistant Commissioner Reuben Molloy said that Charles Harwood underwent two major renovations, one after hurricane Hugo in 1989 and a second after Hurricane Lenny in 1999. Most of the damage occurred after hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
A member of the design team, Gerville Larsen, said: “One of the first issues we’ll address is the asbestos and lead paint abatement on the site.” He continued, “We have taken into consideration the potential impact to the site, neighbors, and neighborhood with a sensitivity to the duration of the project.”