Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Formally Opens With Dedication Ceremony
November 11, 2011
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Formally Opens With Dedication Ceremony
(Bethesda, MD – November 10, 2011) A dedication ceremony today marked the formal opening of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). Created through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act of 2005, WRNMMC consolidated the services of Washington, D.C.’s Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the campus of the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC).
Now one of the nation’s flagship military healthcare installations, the project enhances the delivery of outstanding healthcare and treatment services to military personnel and their families in a safe, functional, and sustainable environment.
WRNMMC was successfully delivered by the design-build team of Balfour Beatty Construction (in a joint venture with Clark Construction) and designer-of-record HKS Architects, with an initial concept design developed by AECOM and HOK Architects. This project, with a value exceeding $830 million, included approximately 750,000 square feet of new construction, 450,000 square feet of renovations, and infrastructure improvements.
The design-build team completed all BRAC-related work six weeks prior to the mandatory September 15, 2011 completion deadline.
New Construction
The design of the project’s exterior respects the art deco aesthetic of NNMC’s iconic, historic structures. New construction work includes:
- The 560,000 square-foot outpatient America Building is a six-story ambulatory care facility. It is the largest outpatient building in the military healthcare system and includes specialized areas for amputees and cancer treatment.
- The 165,000 square-foot Arrowhead Building is a four-story in-patient facility with a single level basement. The Arrowhead Building is an addition to NNMC’s existing facility.
- 939-car, eight-story patient parking structure
- 1,100-car, 10-story, multi-use parking structure
- North and south main entry gates
WRNMMC’s new construction received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council earlier this year. All new construction was completed in less than 30 months.
Renovation
The project included 450,000 square feet of renovations to existing NNMC medical departments, often working immediately adjacent to ongoing hospital activities.
WRNNMC now stands as the nation’s premier military health facility for wounded warriors recovering from traumatic brain injury or loss of limb. The design-build team created numerous custom spaces to allow the facility to offer a complete range of medical services including surgery, critical care, musculoskeletal, neuroscience, cardiovascular/Invasive procedures, cancer treatment, endoscopy, imaging, children’s health, and emergency care.
Construction activity affected all of the existing hospital’s systems, including fire protection sprinkler and alarm systems, electrical distribution systems, mechanical systems, plumbing systems, information/ communication systems, security systems, elevators, and utility connections. To successfully complete the renovation without disrupting ongoing medical activities, the design-build team created unique logistics, infection control risk assessment, and interim life safety system plans for 46 separate areas of construction activity.
About Balfour Beatty Construction
A leader in the U.S. commercial construction industry, Balfour Beatty Construction provides general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services through more than 2,400 professionals nationwide. For the past two years, the company has been cited as a Top 10 Green Builder by Engineering-News Record and as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For® by FORTUNE magazine. The company is part of London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a global leader in professional services, construction services, support services, and infrastructure investment, with more than $18 billion in annual revenues. To learn more about the company and its subsidiary, Howard S. Wright, visit balfourbeattyus.com .