HCHD Broke Ground on Two New Health Centers
Projects represent part of the district’s multi-year $158 million facilities expansion program

The Harris County Hospital District broke ground in November on two new health centers that will serve nearly 140,000 new patient visits annually. The nearly $27 million worth of construction is part of the district’s $158 million multi-year facilities expansion/renovation and land acquisition program. 

The progam represents the largest construction investment for the district in nearly 20 years. 

On Nov. 10, U.S. Rep. Al Green, State Rep. Alma Allen, Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee and HCHD President and CEO David S. Lopez kicked off construction of a new $13.5 million replacement for Martin Luther King Health Center. The site is located off Cullen Boulevard, near Airport Road in south Houston, and will add capacity for 37,100 new patient visits. 

“The construction for a much-needed Martin Luther King Health Center is another step the Harris County Hospital District is taking to meet needs of south Houston,” said Fadine Roquemore, chairman of the MLK Advisory Council. “Its location is conducive to the majority of patients it will serve.” 

The new 64,000-square-foot building will replace the current 15,050-square-foot center located within the district’s Quentin Mease Community Hospital. New MLK will have 53 examination rooms and 524 parking spaces. 

Also, on Nov. 13, State Rep. Hubert Vo, Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack and HCHD Chief Operating Officer George V. Masi kicked off construction of a new $13.9 million facility in Alief. The 66,000-square-foot facility will be located on a 12-acre lot, a previous Metro park-and-ride lot near Bissonet Boulevard and Boone Road. 

The new two-story building will accommodate 100,000 patient visits annually through its 73 exam and procedure rooms and 467 parking spaces.  

Both centers are expected to be completed by late spring and early summer in 2009.

“The Harris County Hospital District’s Community Health Program has been serving the community for more than 40 years,” said Elvin Franklin Jr., member of the HCHD Board of Managers, the district’s governing body. “The expansion of our program to include a new addition in Alief and a replacement of our existing Martin Luther King Health Center will mean we can accommodate more than 137,000 new patient visits a year.”  

Other aspects of HCHD’s multi-year construction program are: 

·        A $28 million expansion and re-design of the Emergency Department and Level III Trauma Center at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, which will double in size – Anticipated completion, Fall 2009;

·        A $68.6 million five-story outpatient clinical facility, adjacent to HCHD Administration off its Holly Hall Drive location, to house centers for radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging and ambulatory care. The expansion is expected to accommodate an additional 32,800 specialty clinic visits – Anticipated completion, Summer 2010;

·        A $14.4 million parking garage (1,000-plus spaces) next to the new outpatient facility on Holly Hall campus, which will accommodate more than 165,000 visitors as well as HCHD staff – Anticipated completion, Fall 2009;

·        A $13.5 million replacement facility for Martin Luther King Health Center, currently located within Quentin Mease Community Hospital, to accommodate up to 100,000 patients visits a year, a patient visit increase of 37,100 new additions over the center’s current capacity – Anticipated completion, Summer 2009;

·        A $13.9 million new community health center for the Alief area in southwest Harris County to accommodate 100,000 primary care patient visits – Anticipated completion, Spring 2009; and

·        Two new eligibility centers, each $2.3 million to be located adjacent to MLK and Alief health centers – Anticipated completion, Summer 2009.

“There are many people in Harris County who depend on us with the number increasing every day. Thanks to our financial stability, the Harris County Hospital District has the opportunity to undertake its largest facilities expansion program in more than 20 years,” Lopez said. “This multi-year program will mean an expanded capacity to see nearly 200,000 more patient visits a year. Our goal is to continue the long tradition of providing high quality health care to residents of Harris County for decades to come.”