Marlon Levy, M.D., M.D., MBA, senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health, and Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of Virginia Commonwealth University, sign one of the beams that will be used for the Chesterfield Pavilion. (Dean Hoffmeyer, VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications)
By: Maria-Paula
VCU Health and Virginia Commonwealth University marked a major construction milestone this week as leaders, local officials and community members gathered to celebrate the “topping off” of a new medical facility that promises to expand access to care in the fast-growing Chesterfield County, Virginia community.
The new medical facility under construction in Chesterfield reached an important milestone on Wednesday as officials celebrated the topping-off of the VCU Health Chesterfield Pavilion, a development expected to bring expanded health services closer to thousands of residents, including immigrants and low-income families.
As a traditional milestone in major construction projects, leaders from VCU Health and Virginia Commonwealth University joined county officials and community representatives at the construction site on Commons Square to mark the placement of the final structural beam in the building’s framework.
The new pavilion will house an ambulatory surgery center and medical office building which will offer outpatient surgical procedures, specialty care and physician services to residents in one of the fastest-growing regions of the Richmond metropolitan area.
Alongside county officials including administrator Joe Casey and Dale District Supervisor LeQuan Hylton, VCU President Michael Rao and VCU Health System CEO Marlon Levy were among the leaders scheduled to address congregants during the ceremony.
Health leaders say the facility is designed to make it easier for patients to access specialized care without traveling to downtown Richmond therefore expanding care closer to home.
The pavilion will offer outpatient procedures that traditionally require visits to larger hospitals, along with physician offices and diagnostic services. By expanding care into the community, the project aims to reduce travel times and ease pressure on the region’s major hospitals.
Officials say this is especially important for families who face transportation or financial challenges. In offering positive impact for immigrant and low-income residents, community advocates say the new facility could significantly benefit many immigrant and working-class residents who have settled in Chesterfield County in recent years.
Many immigrant families often rely on outpatient clinics and community medical offices for routine and specialty care because they may lack reliable transportation or flexible work schedules that allow them to travel long distances for medical appointments.
By locating services directly within the county, the pavilion will provide closer access to surgical and specialty services, reduce travel costs and time away from work for patients, increase availability of preventive and follow-up care as well as expand access to physicians and specialists.
For low-income households, outpatient surgery centers can also lower the cost of procedures compared with hospital-based surgeries hence helping reduce financial barriers to treatment.
In supporting a rapidly growing county, population growth in Chesterfield has increased demand for healthcare infrastructure, particularly in areas experiencing new housing development and rising immigrant populations.
The Chesterfield Pavilion therefore, represents part of a broader effort by VCU Health to extend its academic medical system beyond downtown Richmond and into surrounding communities.
The facility will also strengthen connections to the health system’s broader network, including the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. This allows patients to access specialized care while remaining close to home.
As the construction of the Chesterfield Pavilion continues following the topping-off milestone, the facility is expected to bring new healthcare services, jobs and economic activity to the county once completed.
Local leaders say the project represents more than just a new building but it reflects an effort to ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to every resident, regardless of their income level or background.
As Chesterfield County continues to grow and diversify, the pavilion is expected to play a key role in meeting the medical needs of the community for years to come.
