05/08/2026
Sheltering Arms Institute, a collaboration with VCU Health, has completed a 30-bed expansion of its inpatient physical rehabilitation hospital, increasing capacity to 144 beds and five specialized care units, making Central Virginia home to one of the largest rehabilitation hospitals on the East Coast.
The facility provides care for individuals who are recovering from a variety of illnesses or injuries, including strokes, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and limb loss, as well as those in need of general rehabilitation for various diseases and disorders.
āOur goal with this expansion is to further enhance access to this care that helps people achieve their most complete recovery and get back to living a life beyond limitsā said Alan Lombardo, CEO.
The new unit will also be used to provide rehabilitative care and will serve as the new home of the Instituteās spinal cord injury unit, the Dallas Disbro Ability Center.
The new unit features:
-private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, large picture windows, flat-screen TVs appointed with the GetWell Network that empowers patients to direct their own rehabilitation care
-the MyLife Room assistive technology lab
-a satellite gym equipped with advanced rehab technology and a bodyweight-support system
-in-room Alexa voice assistive technology
-a community room for shared dining, educational and support groups, and more
-conference and office spaces
The project was funded through bank financing and equity contributions from joint venture members Sheltering Arms and VCU Health. The Institute received approval from the Virginia DOH to expand in 2023 following a certificate of public need application process. Construction began in late 2024 and was completed under general contractor Barton Malow, architecture firm HDR, and project management and design firm JLL.
