The largest U.S. Army community south of the Alps just got a little bigger, at least in terms of facilities.

Vicenza officially opened two new facilities this week: a $47.5-million Enhanced Health Service Center and a $13.1-million Child Development Center/School Age Center.

The 141,700-square-foot medical center is adjacent to the football field on Caserma Ederle. It replaces separate medical, dental, birthing and behavioral health facilities spread out around the base.

Officials said the services are not only consolidated, but also expanded: 40 exam rooms (up from 25), 37 dental chairs (up from 25) and seven labor and delivery rooms (up from three). The center can to provide services that were not previously available here, including mammographies, same-day surgery and oral surgery.

Americans will continue to use the San Bortolo hospital outside the gates for many other medical procedures.

The CDC, adjacent to the new elementary and middle schools on the Villagio housing complex, has space for 150 school-aged children and 198 infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

The 44,000-square-foot facility features more than a dozen classrooms. It also has a multipurpose room, specialty rooms for homework and computers and more space for storage and staff. It was built by CMC di Ravenna, which also constructed the schools.

Both facilities are designed to save energy and meet the latest military standards. They’re part of a series of construction projects designed to accommodate an additional 2,000 troops and their families set to move to Vicenza in 2012 when offices and barracks are finished at the Dal Molin airfield.

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