THE BOTTOM- With a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, September 5, Saba Cares is moving forward with the new construction and expansion of a care institution, including the construction of a new nursing home in The Bottom, next to the current hospital building.

Construction will take place in two phases. Saba Cares expects that the entire construction will take a total of 3 years before all buildings can be put into use. After a meticulous tender procedure, Saba Cares awarded the construction contract to QBR Joint Venture B.V., a collaboration between a Saban and a Canadian contractor.

The new nursing home will consist of three living groups, each with 7 to 9 single apartments. The nursing home will accommodate a total of 24 residents, who need 24-hour care. In addition to a restaurant, an activity center and a quiet center, an additional 17 apartments will be built.

Two and a half years of planning, elaboration and negotiation preceded this moment. But even before Saba became part of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010, people already talked and dreamed about a new nursing home. The current Home for the Elderly dates back to 1980 and needs to be replaced by a more modern, suitable facility.

Advisors

From the very beginning of this process, Saba Cares was supported by Martin Moes and Marein Duijn of Triatact B.V., a construction consultancy company in the Netherlands specialized in care housing. Two advisors from St. Maarten were added to assess the regional aspects in the last part of the process. The design of the building is by the architectural company IXI Design from St. Maarten.