91视频

While Jackie Davis was an architecture student at the University of Oregon three years ago, traveling to Haiti to research the design of a new medical center was a high point.

Today, Davis is an architectural designer at Otak, a multi-disciplinary firm. She is thrilled that the center at Jacmel, Haiti is almost complete.

鈥淚’m overall really excited to see it built and begin to be used because it is serving such a big need in the area,鈥� she said.

Retired engineer and volunteer project manager Dale Thompson said the cement structure has been roofed and should be open for business by September, but more money is needed.

The project’s developer is Children’s Hope, a nonprofit, Thompson said. Work is being performed by rotating teams of volunteer builders.

鈥淲e are taking advantage of visiting construction teams to keep costs down,鈥� he said.

The volunteer teams last year completed a clinic next door to the surgery center now under construction, he added.

The new 3,000-square-foot center will provide minor surgery and other health services, including exam rooms, a nursing station, a dental office and a pharmacy.

Davis, who with fellow student Grace Aaraj won a design competition for the medical building sponsored by Dr. Michael Workman of Vancouver, Wash., admitted that she was somewhat disappointed with the final design because it has no windows.

鈥淥riginally we wanted open-air windows with wrought iron decorative metal screens,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it was too hot and humid in Haiti not to have air conditioning, and our next design put in glass blocks to let the light in. But when I saw the pictures it just had solid walls.鈥�

The roof structure was originally designed with a sloped concrete roof, Thompson said, but worries over the level of available craftsmanship led to the decision to use pre-manufactured wooden trusses.

Thompson said Andrew Riley, president of Oregon State University‘s student chapter of Associated General Contractors, led a team of students to build the roof trusses. Riley gave a report on the effort at the recent AGC national convention in San Antonio, Texas, Thompson said.

Money is still being raised to help complete construction and outfit the center, Thompson said.

鈥淭he moneys AGC contributed to the initial project have been impacted by significant increases in the price of concrete,鈥� he said.

Thompson said anyone can help by making a tax-deductible contribution to the AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter Foundation, to the attention of Executive Director Mike Salsgiver. Call 503-682-3363 to learn more or log onto .