A design flaw has halted construction of the New Hampshire state new Secure Psychiatric Forensic Hospital project in Concord. The error has set the plan back and will likely cost taxpayers about $5 million. The report was issued to the state’s Executive Council on Wednesday. The mistake has been dubbed as the single biggest building construction failure in the state in a decade. This was noted by Charlie Arlinghaus, commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Service.
However, he noted that it could have been worse if construction on the $40 million, now $50 million project was noticed nine months ago. Down the road would have meant a higher construction cost on amending the error. Attorney General John Formella urged the council to agree to accept almost $10 million from the firm SMRT Inc. The allocated funds are for remediation work related to the design and construction which was also approved by the legislative fiscal committee previously. Other similar projects in the United States include the construction of the new six-story care tower at Lynchburg General Hospital in Virginia. Medical care is becoming an essential in the U.S. as various states embrace construction of new healthcare facilities.
Scope of Implementation on the New Secure Psychiatric Hospital Project in Concord
The scope on the new Secure Psychiatric Hospital Project in Concord entails corrective work which means more reinforcements. Furthermore, it means a resumption of construction which is expected to begin after the holidays. However the completion date is now set back with the new date set for October 18, 2027. This is a significant delay for those who are deemed a danger to themselves or others in the state as they are housed at the state prison for men in Concord. The state has long sought to change that situation and provide a more therapeutic atmosphere. Ted Kupper, an administrator for the Department of Administrative Services, noted on the progress of the project. He explained that the project is about 20 percent complete.
This includes most of the foundation and that $14 million has already been spent. Furthermore, he noted that the $10 million from SMRT Inc. does not cover the entire cost of the delay. But Formella said it is better to not go down the road of litigation which could cost more money, more time and that project costs could go up dramatically. Both Executive Councilors Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, and Janet Stevens, R-Rye, expressed concern that there was not enough money to complete the project. They also noted that the $10 million did not go far enough. However, in the end they agreed to the acceptance of the funds.
