ODR & JFL Sign Contract for New Hospital

M.A. Dworkin

St. Croix - After previous contractors withdrew from the process, the Virgin Islands Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) has executed a contract for the demolition and reconstruction of the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center (JFL) on St. Croix. 

The contract was awarded to Suffolk Construction and signals the start of the initial phase - including preconstruction services and early work packages - which are capped at just over $142 million (specifically $3.4 million for preconstruction and roughly $139 million for early work). This includes optimizing designs, conducting constructability reviews, and performing value engineering. This phase will last for twelve months and will occur simultaneously with demolition, which is expected to start before the year’s end. The completion of this phase will clear the path for an estimated five-year construction period. 

The new permanent hospital is expected to be completed in the spring of 2031. 

ODR Director Adrienne L. Williams-Octalien stated, “Rebuilding the Territory’s hospitals remains one of the highest priorities of the recovery, and the execution of this contract signifies a pivotal step forward in this effort. The Office of Disaster Recovery looks forward to continued collaboration with all stakeholders to build a state-of-the-art facility that meets current industry standards.”

The new JFL will be designed as a multi-story, resilient, energy-efficient, and renewable-energy-conscious facility. Inside, the hospital will offer a comprehensive range of medical services, including but not limited to trauma care, NICU, behavioral health, women’s services, diagnostic services, and rehabilitation. The design also allows for future growth, making sure the facility can adapt to the changing needs of the community. 

“This project centers on the patients, families, and healthcare professionals who depend on a safe, advanced environment to provide and receive high-quality care,” said Darlene A. Baptiste, Chief Executive Officer at JFL.

In March 2023, the hospital’s emergency and patient services transitioned to the interim facility, JFL North, which offers 24-hour emergency and patient services to residents and visitors through a network of modular units, which were funded by FEMA at a cost of roughly $130 million. 

The total cost to rebuild JFL is projected to be nearly $1 billion, with federal grant funding by FEMA which was previously announced at approximately $834 million for the project following severe damage from hurricane Maria in 2017.