New Virginia Hospitals to Meet Rising Acute and Behavioral Care Demand
By Lindsey Coulter
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Construction is now officially underway on two advanced specialty hospitals in Lynchburg, Va. When complete, the new Centra Rehabilitation Hospital and Centra Behavioral Health Hospital will be strategically located side by side on the Centra Simons Run Medical Campus to enhance the continuum of care for patients in the region. The facilities — operated in partnership with Centra Health as well as Lifepoint Rehabilitation and Lifepoint Behavioral Health (both affiliates of Lifepoint Health) — will advance health and healing for the region and help meet the rising demand for specialized, acute rehabilitation and behavioral health services.
Birmingham, Ala.-based Capital Growth Medvest is collaborating with JE Dunn Capital Partners and Tampa, Fla.-based Sila Realty Trust to bring the facilities to life, with JE Dunn Construction serving as construction manager for both facilities.
“We are honored to expand services and access to care for Lynchburg and western Virigina residents,” said Chris Hermreck, vice president at JE Dunn Capital Partners. “With every project we invest in, we strive to leverage our company’s strength and expertise to make a lasting and meaningful impact in the communities we serve.”
Other members of the project team include Stengel Hill Architecture Louisville, Ky., architect of record for the Behavioral Health facility, and Nashville, Tenn.-based Earl Swensson Associates, architect of record for the Inpatient Rehabilitation facility. JE Dunn partnered with many local construction firms, but most notably with local company Jamerson-Lewis Construction to maximize local participation.
When complete, the 62,500-square-foot Centra Rehabilitation Hospital will include 50 beds and offer the latest therapeutic technologies and interiors. Comprehensive acute rehabilitation services will include intensive nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, and speech pathology — all supported by cutting-edge equipment and innovative treatments to help patients recover from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic issues, and other conditions affecting functional or neurological skills. Additionally, the facility will feature several multidisciplinary therapy gymnasiums outfitted with the latest therapeutic technologies, in addition to outdoor courtyards and spaces designed to help patients return to activities of daily living. A 12-bed secured brain injury unit with private dining and a therapy gym is also included in the design.
Next door, the 72-bed, 61,000-square-foot Centra Behavioral Health Hospital will provide a holistic, compassionate and therapeutic approach to behavioral health treatment. The facility will offer crisis stabilization for a broad range of mental health illnesses and substance use disorders. It will serve adults, seniors and adolescents through its thoughtfully designed spaces, including open, airy environments, expansive patient rooms, community areas and state-of-the-art clinical spaces. The environment aims to foster healing and support patients and their families throughout treatment.
The exterior materials being used on both projects will complement the surroundings of the buildings and the existing medical campus, while interiors will be specifically selected to contribute to the patients’ overall well-being.
“At the heart of these projects is our commitment to enhancing the community and making a positive impact on everyday life,” said Hermreck. “The Centra Simons Run Medical Campus already holds a sterling reputation for providing top-tier care, and these new facilities will build on that foundation, further expanding access to essential healthcare services.”
While both projects have separate schedules, JE Dunn has sequenced the projects to be completed simultaneously to service the community as soon as possible. Construction on both projects should be completed by early 2026.