VA to expand clinic space in Springfield

[thelakelander]

This should be good for Springfield.

The new facility will be built on land owned by Shands Jacksonville and leased to the VA. The cost of building and renting the 103,000-square-foot structure has not yet been determined, Hollingsworth said, and probably will not be until the department goes out for bid in the middle of next year.

During the two years that construction takes, the department will continue to operate with services scattered about the city, including a surgery center in southwest Jacksonville and a couple of 10,000-square-foot sub-clinics handling such things as mental health and rehabilitation.

full article: http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-07-23/story/va_to_expand_clinic_space_in_jacksonville

[RiversideLoki]

This is great news. I know the existing VA clinic has been in disrepair for YEARS.

[nvrenuf]

Anyone have more info on exactly where? "Very close" to the current facility doesn't really tell me much as I live "very close" to the facility now. I am very interested in where this new building will go.

[thelakelander]

The new building will go where the old Brewster Hospital used to be.  On Jefferson Street, facing Hogans Creek.  I'll see if I can dig up a site plan.

[fsu813]

Crossing my fingers it's done right, and not some awful box with acres of surface parking....

[thelakelander]

It will be built on Jefferson Street, immediately south of Tower I, parking area A and east of parking area K

[thekillingwax]

Maybe it'll help improve that area some? I stopped going down jefferson on my way to work because twice in two weeks the thugs that hang out around those apartments tried to walk out in front of my car to cause me to stop and I think someone else said they were robbed or something around the same area.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I hope they have a sleep disorder center there. So many of the Vets have to drive to Gainesville. From St. Marys to Daytona and some even further.

[heights unknown]

Wow; as a Veteran, and a disabled veteran at that, this makes me want to move back to Jacksonville.  VA Healthcare Facilities are a very important resource for military retirees and Veterans; and I am intimately familiar with that area of town, though I wouldn't want to live there.  If I lived again in Jax, I think I might live either on the Westside or Southside.

Heights Unknown

[Ocklawaha]

This is a VERY sore subject to many of our disabled veterans, even more so if they have traveled to other cities and states and seen the elephant.

The VA plans to give us a new clinic in downtown Jacksonville... Trouble is, look at the VA's math:

Tampa - Full service VA Hospital
Orlando - Full service VA Hospital
West Palm Beach - Full service VA Hospital
Miami - Full service VA Hospital
Lake City - Full service VA Hospital
Gainesville - Full service VA Hospital
Jacksonville - Clinic with limited functions

We alone have 250,000 veterans living in our city, #1 in the state of Florida for disabled veteran residences, and the MOST REQUESTED duty station in the US Navy or Marine Corps.

Our clinic doesn't have a cafe (and Shands put up a giant fence between the VA and their hospital)

Our clinic doesn't have a PX/BX

Our clinic can't do outpatient surgery's

Our clinic can't keep anyone overnight

We need this fixed and we need it YESTERDAY! With the stimulus, why can't we go for the full hospital facility? With Shands across the street, why not a full VA/UF teaching hospital?  Why? Could it be our representatives suck?



OCKLAWAHA

[olivia]

I would love to know if I can assist in any way, I'm the DOS for Executive Food Service, and if you need any budgeted luncheons etc, we are always willing to extend a discount to local business leaders. Im happy to hear about the new location.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Ock-- you are right I am contracted at the VA right now in Gainesville and the distance vets have to drive from the North East Florida area is ridiculous.

[fsujax]

Ock. Shands plans to fence off it's entire campus.

[nvrenuf]

Thanks for the info Lake. That seemed the logical area for it, which is exactly why I wasn't sure it would go there.

[fsu813]

Yes, Shands does plan on literally fencing off it's entire campus with gates at certain entry points. This will include the Proton center and other buildings on campus.