New State-of-the-Art Facility Will Meet Flood Zone Requirements To Protect Workers And Visitors From Inclement Weather
Renderings Of The New Inpatient Building Are Available Here
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the ground breaking of a new $250 million inpatient building at South Beach Psychiatric Center in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood of Staten Island. The new 232,000-square-foot facility will replace the Psychiatric Center's 47-year-old buildings that are currently below New York State flood zone height requirements.
"Extreme weather is the new normal and New York’s infrastructure and facilities need to be hardened to withstand the severe storms and flooding that Mother Nature is throwing at us more and more," said Governor Cuomo. "The Staten Island health campus sustained millions of dollars in damage during Superstorm Sandy, and today's ground breaking begins a new chapter and exemplifies our efforts to build a stronger and more resilient New York for all."
The $250 million project is funded with capital bonds issued by DASNY to the New York State Office of Mental Health. The project is projected to employ 400 workers during the time of construction. Development of the facility will include a number of flood prevention measures to mitigate the effects of future severe weather events. To raise the elevation of the building site, over 186,000 tons of soil has been moved onto the health campus to create a berm to supports its foundation and protect the building against flooding. In addition, the residential and recreation areas of the building will be located 20 feet above sea-level, in excess of the minimum heights required by federal and state regulations. New drainage systems have also been installed throughout the campus to expedite the removal of flood water during storms and prevent damage to buildings.
The five-story facility will feature 250 adult beds and 12 children beds, in secure, separate areas specifically designed to support recovery. The building will maximize natural light, reduce noise levels and provide a calm, homelike environment for patients. Amenities will include secure outdoor porches, communal living spaces, medical and dental clinics, a school, and separate recreation and therapy spaces for children and adults. The new inpatient building will also be connected to the recently-constructed Central Services Building to expedite support services such as nutritional services, utilities, and maintenance support.
"The current South Beach Psychiatric Center inpatient buildings were constructed in 1969 and it is important to recognize how the care and treatment for mental illnesses have evolved over the last 47 years," said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. "This modern, updated facility will reflect the goals of our agency: patient-centered care in a welcoming and safe environment focused on our agency’s pillars of recovery and hope. We are excited about the future of South Beach as we continue to serve the communities of Staten Island and Brooklyn who rely on our services."
"Delivering facilities like this one is DASNY’s core mission," said DASNY President and CEO Gerrard P. Bushell. "As the nation’s largest issuer of low-cost, tax-exempt bonds and one of its biggest public builders, DASNY is New York State’s developer. Our work creates the foundation that helps communities thrive and we are proud to do it in partnership with the Office of Mental Health."
The building will be constructed to operate as an energy efficient building, with a pending goal of LEED-Silver certification from the United States Green Building Conference. The building features an environmentally-friendly "living roof" planted with native flora, helping to insulate the building, while absorbing rainwater and serving as natural habitat for wildlife.
During the first phase of construction, 26 percent of the workforce were hired locally from Staten Island. Additionally, the project expects to exceed a workforce goal that includes 45 percent minority and women workers, and exceed the state’s required contract rate of 30 percent for Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises, and satisfy a three percent contract rate for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses.
Site work for the South Beach Psychiatric Center Inpatient Building began in April 2016, with significant landscape remodeling. Starting in October 2016, more than 800 steel piles will be driven into the ground to support the foundation, and in April 2017, the structural steel of the building will be erected. In January 2018 the base building construction will begin. The project is expected to be complete in late 2019 or early 2020.
Senator Andrew J. Lanza said, "The groundbreaking of the new state-of-the-art inpatient facility at South Beach Psychiatric Center is welcome news to the people of Staten Island and especially those who will receive and provide treatment services there. The replacement of critical infrastructure will reduce the likelihood of damage from future flooding events and keep the people and resources at South Beach safe."