Coronavirus: Birmingham Firm To Convert Miami Venue Into Hospital

MIAMI, FL — A Birmingham construction firm has been chosen to convert the Miami Beach Convention Center into a 450-bed hospital for coronavirus patients. Robins & Morton was awarded a $22 million contract from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite announced the plans Wednesday.

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The 500,000-square-foot field hospital at the Miami Beach Convention Center will have 50 intensive care unit beds and can be expanded to hold 1,000 beds if necessary. In addition to contracted medical personnel, the facility will be staffed by 184 members of the Florida National Guard, including 10 physicians, 19 physician assistants, five case workers, five social workers, 25 EMTs, 50 paramedics, 16 registered nurses and a licensed infection prevention specialist.

"This will provide a lot of resources should the need arise to be able to care for patients," DeSantis said. "This is going to be a facility that will accept the COVID patients. Some of the overflow that's been done in other parts of the country, initially they wanted it for non COVID."

Robins & Morton has two weeks to complete the project, and a report by the South Florida Business Journal said the firm pulled together more than 20 contractors from South Florida to support the project.

“We understand the critical nature of these projects and their role in supporting vital healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. With that, we understand our role is to ensure that this project is backed by the full support of our company to usher it to completion in its short timeframe,” Robins & Morton President and COO, Robin Savage, said in a release. “Projects like these are rewarding – the ones that really make a difference. They make being a builder so meaningful. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to preparation efforts in the community at this difficult time.”

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