VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Beach City Council received an update Tuesday on the status of the Hampton Roads Veterans Care Center, which is set to break ground this October.
Announced in August, the new veterans care center will be the first in Hampton Roads. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services is also planning another in Northern Virginia.
It will be a state-of-the-art facility providing skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, as well as short-term rehabilitative care.
The center will serve the Hampton Roads region, which is home to more than 200,000 veterans.
"(Right now) the closest facility of this type is in Richmond," said Steven Combs, Deputy Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. "They're going to be visited by family by friends. This is going to be their home for either three weeks or maybe the rest of their lives."
Next week, City Council will vote on a transfer of 26 acres of city land to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land, located near City Hall, is where the care center would be located.
There will also be a public information session on March 13 at Kellam High School.
If the care center is approved, Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Warren Harris says Nimmo Parkway will have to be extended at a cost of $2.1 million to the city.
"It's really a significant milestone as I see it with respect our veterans in providing them with the state-of-the-art health and rehab care that they deserve," he said.
The goal is to have the care center open in late 2019.
A statement from the Hampton VA Medical Center on the proposed care center reads:
“For several years Hampton Roads has experienced one of fastest growing veteran populations in the nation. It is exciting to see the expansion of Veteran services in the Hampton Roads area. The approval of the State Veteran Care Center is a major step in assuring that long-term care and special needs of our Veterans are met in years to come.” - Sigrid Andrew, Associate Director
Related:
Gov. McAuliffe announces new Veterans Care Center in Virginia Beach
