Despite the construction troubles facing many Veterans Affairs projects across the country, the Seattle Veterans Affairs hospital campus is poised to begin building a new mental health and research building this month, according to a report from The Seattle Times.
The new building — slated for completion in late 2017 — will be six stories tall and 219,000 square feet and will house more than 250 mental health staff members and 60 researchers to provide improved services for patients.
The $152 million project also includes a parking garage, upon which construction has already begun.
The VA Puget Sound Medical Center System expansion was planned to meet the growing number of veterans seeking care for post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. More than 22,000 veterans sought mental health treatment in the Puget Sound area in 2014, an 8-percent jump from the previous year, according to the report.
The construction project will produce the first new healthcare building on the Seattle VA campus since 1988. One completed the facility will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for its "green" building strategies.
More articles on hospital construction:
Carroll Hospital Center plans construction, renovation with $250M investment
Washington hospital reveals expansion plan
VA construction chief resigns amid management failures in hospital projects