Cape Town - Construction has started on the new multimillion-rand Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital on the Foreshore.
The new hospital is being built on the tract of land formerly used as a parking area by Media24, between the Artscape Theatre and the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Plans are being kept under wraps, but contractors WBHO are on site and have already started with excavation work.
The new hospital complex will boast 250-bed wards, state-of-the-art theatres, doctors’ surgeries and consulting rooms, linked retail, a gym and a parkade.
Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Michelle Morris said construction timelines and the final completion date would be announced next week.
“Everything will be unveiled then,” she said.
The new hospital is expected to open its doors towards the end of 2015.
No plans have yet been made for the current hospital site in Longmarket Street, which also has parking floors and medical suites.
The current hospital, formerly called City Park, opened in 1984. It was renamed after South Africa’s most famous surgeon, Christiaan Barnard, in November 2001.
Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle, who has described the new hospital as “world class”, said the facility was the first of a series of new developments planned for the Foreshore over the next five to 10 years.
“This all forms part of the convention centre upgrade and the redevelopment of the Founders’ Garden precinct,” Carlisle said.
“The city bought the piece of land where the hospital is being built from Media24 and the redevelopment, which includes the expansion of the convention centre, is now taking place. The expansion will extend across Heerengracht, from the current CTICC, to a new conference wing and the hospital.”
Carlise said the new buildings on the Media24 side of Heerengracht would “mirror” the current convention centre and Westin Hotel on the opposite side of the road.
Former Cape Chamber of Commerce president Michael Bagraim, now the chamber’s labour analyst, said the move from the city centre to the Foreshore would make the hospital more accessible to tourism.
“Not only will we have a world-class hospital for business tourists, but the development, including the expansion of the CTICC, is a boost and great for business sentiment.”
Cape Argus