New VA Hospital Breaks Ground in Colorado

Project to be 1.1 million sf and cost $800 million

AURORA, CO – Local lawmakers joined officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs on Aug. 22 to turn earth on a new, $800-million hospital that will provide care for veterans around the country and serve as another piece of Aurora’s growing medical network.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki joined Reps. Ed Perlmutter, Mike Coffman, Gov. Bill Ritter, Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer and other lawmakers during the ceremony attended by veterans from across the country. The ceremony came after 10 years of work on the project, which stalled under numerous presidential administrations and VA secretaries.

“I’m very proud to be part of this project, but I’m the late arrival,” said Shinseki, who announced the project’s approval in March, less than 100 days after his appointment by President Barack Obama. “Thanks to all of you — this community, your representatives at the national, state and local level — for your long-standing support of veterans, who I represent.”

The new, stand-alone facility is set to occupy about 1.1 million square feet on 31 acres, and will include 30-bed spinal injury center out of a total of 200 beds. About $300 million has been appropriated for the project out of about $800 million authorized by Congress. The new hospital, which will replace the current VA medical center in Denver, is set to open in January 2014.

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SOURCE: Aurora Sentinel