The contract to build the largest U.S. hospital outside the United States has been signed, marking a significant step forward in progressing the Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center Replacement project.
The German Construction Administration, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District and the U.S. Defense Health Agency, awarded a €85- million (approximately $969-million) contract to Züblin and Gilbane joint venture to construct a new hospital at Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany.
The contract includes construction of a modern 985,000-square-foot hospital that features nine operating rooms, 120 exam rooms and 68 beds with a surge capacity of 25 additional beds. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2027.
The German Construction Administration is executing this large-scale project through a partnering process, which involved construction industry expertise during the design phase. The award to the joint-venture team brings both German and U.S. perspective to the project quality, schedule and cost requirements.
When this new medical campus opens, it will replace and co-locate the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, constructed in 1953, and the 86th Medical Group Clinic to become the largest U.S. medical center on foreign soil, providing primary care, specialized consultative care, hospitalization and treatment for more than 200,000 U.S. military personnel, DoD and interagency civilians and dependents in Europe.
The strategically located medical center will serve as the only forward-stationed evacuation and treatment center for injured U.S. service members, civilians and contractors serving in Central & Southwest Asia, Europe and Africa and provide critical medical support to seven combatant commands. When completed, the new hospital will employ approximately 2,500 people.
This contract represents the next – and most significant – phase of the campus construction that already includes almost $200 million of recently completed hospital infrastructure work, such as a new access control point, bridge, utilities and roadways.
The German government is contributing more than €151 million (approximately $180 million) for design and construction management. The new hospital is part of the U.S. Forces’ substantial investment in Germany.
The German Construction Authority is responsible for the design and implementation of this project.