javits center transformed to fight COVID-19 in NYC, while hospital pops up in central park

as one of the cities most effected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, new york has been searching for ways to accommodate the number of sick patients it expects to treat in the coming weeks and months. following efforts to expand the city’s medical infrastructure, the governor of new york, andrew m. cuomo, has now announced that the first 1,000-bed temporary hospital is now complete at the javits center — the convention center that was set to host the now-cancelled 2020 edition of ICFF. similar hospitals are planned for targeted areas across the city and the state.

a temporary hospital room set up at the javits center
image © office of governor andrew m. cuomo

under the leadership of governor cuomo, the site was transformed in conjunction with the army corps of engineers, the national guard, and FEMA (the US government’s federal emergency management agency). the medical station at the javits center contains 1,000 beds and has been set up to reduce the burden on the city’s existing infrastructure. the site is expected to open on monday march 30, 2020.

the medical center at the javits center contains 1,000 beds
still from video © office of governor andrew m. cuomo

elsewhere in the city, a temporary field hospital has appeared in central park. set up by samaritan’s purse, a humanitarian aid organization, the 68-bed medical center is expected to open on tuesday march 31, 2020. the site will provide respiratory care and urgently needed medical supplies. samaritan’s purse has been running a similar medical facility in northern italy since march 20. the 14-tent unit is set up adjacent to the cremona hospital in order to treat an overflow of coronavirus patients.

governor cuomo reviews plans for the javits center transformation
image © office of governor andrew m. cuomo

in other news, hospital ship ‘USNS comfort’ has now arrived in new york city. the ship, which contains 1,000 beds, 12 operating rooms and is operated by military medical personnel, will be taking on non-coronavirus patients — allowing hospitals to focus COVID-19 cases. see designboom’s previous coverage here.

video © javits center

the javits center was designed by james ingo freed of pei cobb freed & partners
image © javits center

a temporary field hospital has appeared in central park
image © samaritan’s purse international disaster relief

the 68-bed medical center has been set up by samaritan’s purse
image © samaritan’s purse international disaster relief

hospital ship ‘USNS comfort’ has now arrived in new york city
image © kevin p. coughlin / office of governor andrew m. cuomo