Harris County building temporary hospital at NRG - again

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After the construction -- and subsequent removal -- of emergency medical shelters at NRG Park in April, Harris County Public Health is working on a smaller replacement in the same area.

The county put in an application with FEMA for approval for the replacement, requesting $2 million from the agency.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's office says the temporary hospital will include 150 beds inside NRG Arena.

The facility will house coronavirus patients in the event hospitals become overrun with admissions.

RELATED: Medical shelter built at NRG Park for emergency coronavirus use

The county has been pre-positioning since April, but does not have a date for when the facility will be up and running at this time.

County officials contracted with Garner Environmental Services to coordinate the construction of the original non-congregate medical shelter.

Commissioners saw what happened in other areas when hospitals were overrun, and authorized up to $60 million to build the original emergency medical shelters.

Video above shows shelters being built in the orange parking lot at NRG Park.

The large shelter had four medical tents, one administrative tent, one pharmacy tent and two trailers in place to support mental wellness and patient discharge.

It included 250 beds to start off, with a capacity of 2,000 beds.

County officials hope the federal government will eventually reimburse them for the project.

The video above is from previous reporting.