D.C. Hospital to Move Ahead with $567M Expansion

By Scott Baltic, Contributing Editor

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Washington—MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has cleared the last regulatory hurdle for its plan to build a six-story hospital pavilion and renovate its existing hospital, at a total cost of $567 million. On Friday, the director of the State Health Planning and Development Agency approved the plan, following a regulatory panel’s recommendation the previous week in favor of issuing a certificate of need.

A 477,000-square-foot surgical pavilion will be built where a parking lot now stands, immediately east of the main hospital. The new building will feature a larger emergency department, private patient rooms, new operating rooms and a new helipad.

The plan calls for 600 parking spaces on three underground levels with a green space above, and underground loading docks to give trucks direct access to the building.

Construction could begin as early as December and be completed by 2020. The hospital reportedly has been operating about 415 beds over the past several years, so regulators will reduce its licensed bed capacity from 609 beds to 538, according to the Washington Business Journal.

In return for the new project, MedStar agreed to to provide cancer screenings and treatment free of charge to a minimum of 500 uninsured or underinsured patients.

Neither MedStar, Georgetown University nor the reported architect, Shalom Baranes Associates, had provided requested information to Commercial Property Executive as of press time.

The hospital stated in its application that the project will be funded through $371 million in bond financing, $112 million from philanthropy and $84 million in funds on hand.

Trammell Crow Co. will provide development management services, HKS will be the interior designer and it appears that masterplanning is by VOA Associates.

Image courtesy of MedStar Health