A beacon of stability, permanence, and hope

As the only hospital on the island of St. Croix, the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center is more than a place where residents seek healthcare. It is also a center of civic and social gathering that represents the community and its history. The aging hospital was critically hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, resulting in extensive water and wind damage. During the recovery efforts on the island, the hospital structure was identified as requiring a full replacement.

As this effort is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, engagement is vital to the success of the project and in garnering support for the hospital's mission. As such, Flad is working with the board, hospital leadership, physicians, clinicians, staff, and the territorial management team to design the hospital; plan for future needs; and ensure a strong focus on healthy life, well-being, healing, and inclusive care for all is maintained throughout the process.

Resiliency, sustainability, and flexibility are guiding project principles. Due to the unique island environment, the hospital must be designed and engineered to withstand earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunami events and remain operational during and after all possible natural disaster events. Facility and campus resiliency strategies include minimizing roof penetration potential, strategic placement of MEP and infrastructure components, and on-site renewable energy opportunities to keep the hospital operational if the island's infrastructure is damaged. From a patient care perspective, resiliency measures include designing the clinical areas for ultimate flexibility, including acuity adaptability for all medical, surgical, and ICU rooms and planning to accommodate surges in volume using dual headwalls within larger patient rooms.

Once complete, the new, future-focused replacement hospital will be a technically innovative, resilient community center that serves as a beacon of stability, permanence, and hope in times of crisis to the residents of the USVI and the island of St. Croix.