FIRST LOOK: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | Jacksonville Community-Based Outpatient Clinic & Domiciliary
The U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System in Jacksonville, Fla., has selected the team of developer US Federal Properties (USFP; Kansas City, Mo.), architectural firm Hoefer Welker (Kansas City), and construction firm Meyer Najem Construction (Jacksonville, Fla.) to build the new facility which the VA will lease from USFP. The existing mental health and primary care services will be consolidated into the new outpatient clinic and domiciliary. The need for the new campus comes from outgrowing existing facilities and wanting to serve the area’s 45,000 veterans better.
Slated for completion in 2023, the 193,500-square-foot comprehensive outpatient clinic will feature the VA’s Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model of care, which centers on patient-driven, proactive, personalized, and team-based care. A separate 28,500-square-foot domiciliary will provide residential rehab and treatment services for homeless veterans.
The project team will focus on sustainable design features for the architecture and interior design, including high-performance glazing, energy-efficient lighting, native landscapes to reduce water usage, and an on-site detention basin that collects storm water runoff and minimizes peak runoff to wetlands. The project will be built to achieve a Two Green Globes certification for New Construction administered by the Green Building Initiative.
The two-story lobby in the outpatient clinic acts as a wayfinding element and will be used to create a connection between the first and second floors. Large windows, warm wood panels, accent colors, and natural elements will create a fresh and relaxing environment for veterans and their families. The outpatient clinic and domiciliary will be connected with a covered walkway. The domiciliary’s patient wing will be arranged around a central nurses’ station, allowing for panoramic visibility of the resident bedroom corridors.
The clinic will also include an extensive imaging program with MRI, CT, and women’s imaging center, as well as substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder treatment programs.
Project details:
Facility name: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | Jacksonville Community-Based Outpatient Clinic & Domiciliary
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Expected completion date: 2023
Owner: US Federal Properties Co. LLC
Total building area: 193,500 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: Confidential
Cost/sq. ft: Confidential
Architecture firm: Hoefer Welker
Interior design: Hoefer Welker
General contractor: Meyer Najem Construction
Engineering: Sain Associates (civil engineer), Bob D. Campbell & Co. (structural engineer), Smith & Boucher Inc. (mechanical engineer), Land3 Studio LLC (landscape architect), FSC Inc. (life safety), Protection Engineering (blast engineer)