Photo Courtesy Tompkins Builders

Saint Elizabeth’s new hospital is the District’s public psychiatric facility. The new building’s therapeutic design includes bright and airy living and treatment areas, green spaces off each patient unit and enclosed courtyards. The building also incorporates a 28,000-sq-ft green roof.

Tompkins Builders served as the prime contractor, while Gilbane Building Co. worked as the construction manager and EYP served as the architect.

Numerous modifications were necessary to the building’s 8-year-old design. Tompkins used building information modeling and mock-up structures to show and explain any proposed changes to the owner and project team.

Design modifications included calculations for steel dimensions, a modified roof design, special noise-reduction ceiling material and a consolidated entrance.

The client requested other design changes, including the infrastructure for electronic medical records, a new unit for the medically frail, therapeutic wall coverings, wi-fi connections and advanced communications capabilities for first responders.

Key Players

Owner: Government of the District of Columbia Dept. of Mental Health
Contractors: Tompkins Builders, Gilbane Building Co.
Architects: Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
Engineers: Alpha Corp., ReStl Designers EYP Mechanical CA