The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health (DOH) recently celebrated the official start of construction on the Donna M. Christian Christensen MD Health Center. Flad partnered with the DOH to design the public health and wellness facility. It will replace the Charles Harwood Medical Center, which suffered catastrophic damage from two Category 5 hurricanes in 2017.
"This represents a significant milestone in the Territory's long-term recovery efforts following the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and in the rebuilding of our public health infrastructure," said Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion. "It signals a new era of modern and community-centered public health services on St. Croix."
The cutting-edge public health and wellness facility will offer centralized administrative and regulatory services for the territory, as well as optimal patient care services and educational opportunities to everyone who seeks healthcare on the island and in the territory. Recognizing the importance of stability, resilience was a guiding principle through the design process, both structurally and operationally. The design focuses on sustainability and system redundancy to allow the DOH to continue its mission through even the most challenging circumstances.
Garnering community and stakeholder perspectives was foundational to the design process and critical in designing a culturally significant, leading-edge facility. Working closely with DOH leadership and local architectural partners, the team brought community members and key stakeholders together to understand their needs, vision, and criteria for strength and stability for this unique and impactful recovery project.
"The inspiration for this facility is grounded in the culture, history, and spirit of this island, and the essential mission of serving the health needs of the community," Flad Principal Steve Jackson said. "We worked intentionally to create a building that feels rooted here, one that belongs to St. Croix."
The innovative, 122,000-square-foot complex will offer a full range of wellness and medical services including a teaching kitchen, conference facilities, clinics, dentistry, behavioral health, and other vital health and wellness services in a warm, modern environment with advanced equipment and technology. It will house resources to support public health needs, including regulatory and other administrative services for the broader territory. This also includes education and conference spaces dedicated to community learning, awareness, and engagement.
The facility is named in honor of Dr. Donna M. Christian Christensen, a Virgin Islands physician who was the first woman to serve as the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress. It is projected to open in 2028.
Virgin Islands Department of Health 
Donna M. Christian Christensen MD Health Center
December 22, 2025