$62.4 million project will bring new VA medical clinic (Columbus, Bishop: house, shop)

[Columbus1984]

What’s the status on this? Was hoping demolition would have started.

[Columbus1984]

Seriously, is this project happening or not?

[Fountain-of-youth]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Seriously, is this project happening or not?

Could be wrong,but I heard that the old building is going to be reused.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

Could be wrong,but I heard that the old building is going to be reused.

Man I hope not. It needs to be demolished. The rendering of the new building looks great.

[JayHey]

Yes it's happening. The property is under the rezoning process right now.

I would be cool with the existing building being repurposed, but I'm not sure how it'd work. A lot of windows would have to be added to it and the costs to do that with the brick walls would be prohibitive.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by JayHey

Yes it's happening. The property is under the rezoning process right now.

I would be cool with the existing building being repurposed, but I'm not sure how it'd work. A lot of windows would have to be added to it and the costs to do that with the brick walls would be prohibitive.

Agreed. The building isn’t good looking to begin with. Demo it and start new. Hopefully this thing kicks off soon. It will definitely improve that corridor.

[Fountain-of-youth]

The new veterans affairs clinic coming to Columbus was originally expected to open in 2021, but now the construction is being delayed at least 8 more months.

Right now, the nearest Veterans Affairs Clinic is 50 miles away in Tuskegee, Alabama. Many locals say the Fountain City desperately needs it’s own clinic.

A building was chosen last year as the location for the Columbus Clinic, but now the contractor set to do the construction has to be replaced.

“It’s like dangling the carrot in front of our nose," one army veteran said. "and then they snatched it back all of the sudden.”

This local army veteran is responding to a letter that he received in the mail Monday evening. The letter states the business awarded construction bids for both the Cobb County and Columbus Georgia Veterans Affairs Clinics have been terminated and that now the Department of Veterans Affairs must find a new developer.

“I think the biggest thing is going to be the morale,” the veteran said. “So many veterans were looking forward to this. It’s really difficult when you have to run all over the place to get the care that you need.”

“It is a far drive to go to Tuskegee to get medical coverage," another veteran, Lionel Haynes, said, "but it is medical coverage.”

The V.A. anticipates it’ll take 8 to 12 months to find a new contractor. For now, Veterans can continue driving to Tuskegee or Montgomery for their services, but for some the concern has to do with more than just miles.

“Personally I had to wait three months just to get an eye exam," a veteran said, "and I’ve been waiting over six months now to get into a pain management center.”

Pushing back the construction will inevitably push back the opening date of the clinic, but Haynes said it’s better late than never.

“The military continues to grow,” Haynes said. "and Columbus is continuing to grow. It’s something much needed, it should have been here but like I said delayed but not denied.”

The Small Business Administration said the award was cancelled after the contractor earned more than $38.5 million in a single year, disqualifying them from being a small business.

https://www.wtvm.com/2019/07/17/excl...7RKc1NInr6Ajq4


Also rumored to be built downtown now.

[SeetheUSA]

That's disappointing to read, but definitely not surprising. The government never acts quickly on these things, and more often than not threatens to cut them. It is definitely needed in this area- time will tell how much longer our veterans will suffer until it is built.

[Columbus1984]

A new outpatient VA clinic is coming to North Columbus. The clinic will be located at River Road and Mobley Road. There is no timetable on when construction will start on the new clinic, which will include dental, mental health, radiology, and more.

Hopefully we see this break ground this summer. Interesting choice of location though.

[amyers3]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

A new outpatient VA clinic is coming to North Columbus. The clinic will be located at River Road and Mobley Road. There is no timetable on when construction will start on the new clinic, which will include dental, mental health, radiology, and more.

Hopefully we see this break ground this summer. Interesting choice of location though.

Yes, I agree. I would of never picked this location. Again, like Department of Health. This should be a central location, somewhere around Airport Thruway to Midtown Medical area. I'm REALLY hoping that this doesn't create a serious traffic issue for single-lane River Road.