WASHINGTON — Construction on the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, which began in 2022 and celebrated its topping-out in 2023, is progressing toward its anticipated opening in early 2025.

Last week, members of the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health team were invited to tour the site and witness the ongoing progress. The facility, built by Turner Construction in partnership with MCN Build, is set to open in early 2025.

The $434.4 million project marks the first inpatient facility to open in the district in 20 years, and it is seen as the beginning of a new chapter for the region’s healthcare system, according to a statement from Mayor Muriel Bowser. “I hope the message we’re sending is loud and clear: while DC government is rightfully getting out of the business of running a hospital, we are fully present at St. Elizabeth’s East and fully committed to all the Washingtonians who will come to the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center [George Washington] Health to get world-class care,” she said.

Spanning 365,000 square feet, the new medical center will offer 136 beds, specialized adult and pediatric emergency departments, maternal and women’s health services, clinics, community spaces, and an ambulatory pavilion with staff offices. Additional features include a 500-car parking garage, solar energy integration, and a helipad for emergency patient transport, ensuring swift access to the trauma center for serious injuries, blunt trauma, and penetrating trauma cases.

Healthcare services at the center will be provided by the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Children’s National Hospital team will deliver pediatric care, including a neonatal unit and a pediatric emergency department operated by their nationally ranked neonatology program. Local physicians and medical students will offer specialized care in areas like orthopedic, liver, heart, kidney, brain, and joint care.

The facility will also feature 16 behavioral health beds to provide both voluntary and involuntary mental health services, as well as outpatient services such as physical therapy, chemotherapy, and dialysis.

“The George Washington University is honored to partner with the district to develop a new hospital to deliver high-quality comprehensive health care services to the citizens of Ward 7 and Ward 8,” said Mark S. Wrighton, former president of George Washington University. “Our university faculty of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the GW Medical Faculty Associates are committed to providing world-class, patient-centered care while addressing disparities in health outcomes and expanding our teaching, research, and clinical footprint in the district.”

Councilmember Trayon White of Ward 8 emphasized the importance of health equity, stating, “Health equity and access to care are fundamental human rights. Residents must have access to the health services they need when and where they need them. The new full-service hospital east of the Anacostia brings us a step closer to providing equitable health care access to all Washingtonians, especially residents in Wards 7 and 8.”

The nearly three-year construction project is expected to generate at least 50 apprenticeships and support approximately 2,000 jobs, with over 300 workers on-site during peak activity. This economic impact aligns with the District’s Project Labor Agreement, Certified Business Enterprise, and First Source requirements.