HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will soon begin converting three locations in Virginia into alternate care facilities as the commonwealth battles the coronavirus pandemic.
The following locations will be converted into alternate care facilities:
- Dulles Expo Center in Loudon County
- Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton
- Richmond Convention Center in Richmond
These locations were chosen by Virginia officials with guidance from the Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to a news release.
Work will begin within three days of the Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalizing contracts. Conversion is expected to be complete within six weeks, according to the news release.
The facilities will support Virginia’s existing hospitals as medical professionals treat COVID-19. They will provide increased hospital bed capacity, reliable backup generation, water, sanitation, HVAC, and oxygen, as well as additional space for medical workers, pharmacists, and hospital administrators, the news release states.
“The dedicated employees at the Norfolk District stand ready to support the commonwealth and the nation during this time of national crisis,” Norfolk District Commander Col. Patrick Kinsman wrote in a news release. “We will continue to build upon the momentum that USACE has built in delivering the needed hospital bed capacity in an unprecedented amount of time.”
Col. Patrick Kinsman, Norfolk District Commander, leads a discussion with local, state and federal representatives in the Hampton Roads Convention Center, on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Brian Boynton, a Norfolk District project manager, tours the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton Virginia during a meeting with local, state and federal representatives on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Drew Gebler, a Norfolk District architect, talks with local, state and federal representatives in the Hampton Roads Convention Center, on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Drew Gebler, a Norfolk District architect, talks with local, state and federal representatives in the Hampton Roads Convention Center, on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Col. Patrick Kinsman, Norfolk District Commander, leads a discussion with local, state and federal representatives in the Hampton Roads Convention Center, on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Meetings are taking place inside the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton Virginia between local, state and federal representatives on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Meetings are taking place inside the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton Virginia between local, state and federal representatives on how best to convert the building into an alternate care facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate and recommend sites for Alternative Care Facilities in Virginia, and Governor Northam approved locations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Norfolk District personnel, along with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia National Guard and emergency management personnel from local and regional governments are now meeting with health care professionals and representatives from area health care systems to plan how best to convert the selected sites to meet their needs. The Corps anticipates mission assignments from FEMA to begin construction on the Alternate Care Facilities shortly. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Zacharie Grose, a Norfolk District mechanical engineer, conducts a site assessment on a building in the western section of Virginia for potential use as an alternate care facility. The Norfolk District continues to work with the state of Virginia and FEMA in assisting them with performing site assessments on facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Officials with the state determine which facilities they want evaluated, while District personnel inspect and report their findings back to the state and FEMA. Final decisions on which facilities to use are made by state officials. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Stephen Zanchi, a Norfolk District electrical engineer, conducts a site assessment on a building in the western section of Virginia for potential use as an alternate care facility. The Norfolk District continues to work with the state of Virginia and FEMA in assisting them with performing site assessments on facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Officials with the state determine which facilities they want evaluated, while District personnel inspect and report their findings back to the state and FEMA. Final decisions on which facilities to use are made by state officials. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Fernanda Brooks a Navy Facilities Mid-Atlantic architect, assists the Norfolk District in conducting a site assessment on a building in the western section of Virginia for potential use as an alternate care facility. The Norfolk District continues to work with the state of Virginia and FEMA in assisting them with performing site assessments on facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Officials with the state determine which facilities they want evaluated, while District personnel inspect and report their findings back to the state and FEMA. Final decisions on which facilities to use are made by state officials. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Stephen Zanchi, a Norfolk District electrical engineer, talks with a facilities representative during a site assessment on a building in the western section of Virginia for potential use as an alternate care facility. The Norfolk District continues to work with the state of Virginia and FEMA in assisting them with performing site assessments on facilities throughout the Commonwealth. Officials with the state determine which facilities they want evaluated, while District personnel inspect and report their findings back to the state and FEMA. Final decisions on which facilities to use are made by state officials. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
Tom Booth, a Norfolk District site assessment team lead, discusses preliminary results from team members on their findings during a site assessment at a building near the Williamsburg area for potential use as an alternate-care-site. Should the need arise; facilities throughout the state may be utilized as additional medical facilities in Virginia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bloodgood) 
