MACON, GA, May 5, 2020 – Choate Construction installs a 24-patient-room temporary hospital unit in the parking lot of Macon’s Medical Center, Navicent Health. This is the second installation of ‘Liberty Boxes’ made by BMarko Structures from shipping containers. The first installation was in Albany outside of Phoebe Putney Hospital to increase their healthcare facility capacity. The City of Albany and Dougherty County are among the hardest-hit areas in Georgia by COVID-19.

“The level of collaboration to optimize function and connectivity to the hospital at the unique sites in such a compressed time frame has been extraordinary,” said Seth Ellington, Choate Project Executive.

The shipping containers are interconnected to create a stand-alone hospital unit complete with individual patient rooms, medical gas equipment, corridors, nurse stations, and other multi-purpose areas.  Choate is constructing foundations, extending utility services, assembling the prefabricated containers, installing plumbing/mechanical/electrical systems, and making final connections.  Foundations began on April 16, and the facility will be complete by May 8.  The Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Navicent Health are preparing and training staff to utilize the facility as soon as it’s available.

“What’s crucial to us at Choate is that the scheduling and sequencing of the program flows well,” said Ben Bunyard, Choate Construction’s Atlanta Division Manager.  “Protecting the lives of patients and healthcare providers is the goal, so we are aggressively embracing the challenge to deliver the facility as soon as possible. One of the greatest challenges the continued outbreak of coronavirus poses is the strain it puts on our communities. It’ll be a blessing to this community and to the middle Georgia region,” said Bunyard.

“While I hope that this facility is never more than an excellent training opportunity for the front-line healthcare staff, the added capacity this facility provides Navicent Health is a critical component of their COVID-19 preparedness plan,” said Ellington.

 Quick Facts:

• Governor Kemp has suspended regulatory laws, allowing healthcare administrators to reconfigure hospital wings or start new construction to meet the state’s needs.
• A group of Georgia universities, including the University of Georgia, Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and others are expected to process 3,000 coronavirus tests per day.
• As of May 5, Georgia ranks 12th in the number of total coronavirus cases among U.S. states, with more than 29,368 confirmed cases and 1,222 deaths.
• The top five hardest counties currently are Cobb, Dekalb, Dougherty, Fulton, and Gwinnett.