USVI Breaks Ground on Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute Reconstruction

In a landmark moment for healthcare in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Governor Albert Bryan Jr., alongside members of the 35th Legislature and Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute (CKCI) on November 4th. The institute's restoration comes after its closure due to the severe impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

Attorney Tina Comissiong, the CEO of Schneider Regional Medical Center, expressed the community's enthusiasm for the institute's revival: "The Charlotte Kimelman Cancer Institute is an essential part of our commitment to providing healthcare excellence right here at home, and we are extremely happy to witness this groundbreaking and begin the journey to its rebuilding."

FEMA's funding of $50 million, obligated in June 2022, paved the way for the demolition and to begin the solicitation phase for a contractor who would rebuild the shuttered facility.

The project, according to Darryl A. Smalls, the executive director of the Territorial Redevelopment Team, is "a significant milestone in our mission to enhance healthcare in the Virgin Islands."

Dee Beacher-Brown, representing the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, conveyed the Kimelman family's passion for the project: "The Kimelman family's enduring commitment to the U.S. Virgin Islands and their passionate support for this project has been nothing short of inspiring."

The reconstruction plan managed by J. Benton Construction promises a facility resilient to natural disasters, with modern infrastructure that meets the highest standards of healthcare service.