Washington, D.C., is searching for a new site to build a brand new hospital in order to replace the ailing United Medical Center (UMC), and it looks like its found it. According to Washington Business Journal, the mayor’s office announced that Congress Heights’ St. Elizabeth’s campus was chosen out of six available building sites in Wards 7 and 8.
Currently, UMC is the only hospital east of the Anacostia River. There have been reports that the hospital has dealt with poor financial management, safety and quality concerns, and a lack of an obstetrics ward.
Already, the D.C. Council passed budget legislation in order to build a hospital at St. Elizabeth’s. D.C. Councilman Vincent Gray has also pushed for the project to happen for several years now.
The hospital is expected to have approximately 145 beds and span 246,000 square feet with 300 surface parking spaces. It will also be four to five stories and located on at least eight acres of land. Washington Business Journal further reported that the new hospital will cost around $330 million.
Projects already planned at St. Elizabeth’s include a Washington Wizards training facility on the East campus and a Department of Homeland Security headquarters consolidation on the West campus.
• Bowser gets behind St. Elizabeths campus as future home for new hospital [Washington Business Journal]