Coronavirus: Richmond's old Ford plant to be turned into temporary 250-bed hospital amid COVID-19 crisis
RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- Over the decades this floor inside the Craneway Pavilion bore the weight of everything from roadsters to jeeps to Sherman tanks.
Now workmen are preparing it to bear the weight of hospital beds.
"Contra Costa County has been working with our state and federal partners to turn this Craneway into a 250-bed federal medical center," according to Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia.
It's called the Craneway Pavilion because massive cranes used to carry partially assembled Fords down the assembly line. During World War 2 they did the same for tanks. In recent years it has been used as a meeting center.
Now the building is one of several being readied to handle an anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases in the county.
"We are working to double hospital capacity in Contra Costa from 1,100 beds to 2,200 beds and some alternate care sites including this one here at Craneway" said Gioia.
Coronavirus: US surgeon general says California's aggressive measures helped flatten COVID-19 curve
That's why National Guard Troops spent the Thursday unloading beds and other supplies from moving trucks and assembling them inside. The makeshift hospital will only be activated if regular medical centers are overwhelmed with patients.
Even then it will care for non-life threatening cases to free up acute-care beds for the most seriously ill patients.
Ajit Dhillon is the property manager for the building and a medical doctor.
"It's a giant space and it has all of the capable infrastructures to support something like this without the need of setting up tents or other makeshift operations," Dhillon said.
RELATED: Get the latest live updates on coronavirus crisis
He says the spot is also isolated, surrounded on three sides by water. If the site is activated two things are certain: recovering patients will have stunning views of the bay and San Francisco, and it won't be cheap.
"The county will be spending tens of millions of dollars over the next couple of months to respond to and prepare our county from a public health standpoint," said Gioia.
Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
- Stimulus calculator: How much money should you expect from coronavirus relief bill
- What Bay Area tenants need to know about rent payments, eviction amid COVID-19 outbreak
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
- Coronavirus and the new normal of living in the San Francisco-Bay Area -- COVID-19 Diaries
- Happy hour goes virtual as people try to be sociable while social distancing during COVID-19 crisis
- Coronavirus Outbreak: Here's why you should practice 'social distancing'
- DRONEVIEW7: What the Bay Area looks like during the coronavirus shelter-in-place
- ABC7's drive around San Francisco shows empty streets, businesses shuttered
- Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
- List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
- Canceled late fees, free services available amid COVID-19 crisis
- Here's how you can help during COVID-19 pandemic
- How to maintain learning during school closures
- No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs
- Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions
- Asian community fighting racism, xenophobia, bigotry as world fights COVID-19
