Chattanooga will be getting a new Veterans Administration clinic through a public-private partnership.
US Federal Properties Co. (USFP) announced it has been named developer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) new outpatient health clinics in Chattanooga, Phoenix, San Antonio and Lubbock, Tex.
Officials said, "These new clinics will expand the VA’s network of outpatient sites that serve 9 million enrolled Veterans annually and help to accelerate their access to care.
The four new clinics will be designed to accommodate some 225,000 Veterans in 733,563 square feet across all four facilities.
In collaboration with USFP, which develops, finances, owns and operates federal government-leased properties, Hoefer Wysocki will lead the architectural and interior design of the new healthcare clinics.
USFP and Hoefer Wysocki have worked together for more than 20 years to design and develop more than 1.6 million square feet of VA and General Services Administration (GSA) facilities, it was stated. Together, the USFP-Hoefer Wysocki team recently completed the VA San Jose Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Other joint projects include VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System’s PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Outpatient Clinic at Colorado Springs; VA Outpatient Clinic, Grand Rapids, Mich.; VA Outpatient Clinic, Laredo, Texas; VA Jacksonville Outpatient Clinic in Fla., and VA Mobile Outpatient Clinic and Montgomery VA Clinic in Alabama.
“This is an exciting time for the VA as it strives to more effectively deliver care to Veterans and their families through patient-centered, healing environments,” said Mitch Hoefer, AIA, NCARB, and CEO of Hoefer Wysocki. “The VA is committed to community outreach and engagement, and delivering innovative healthcare services. As such, it has made an extraordinary investment to modernize its facilities across the U.S. We’re honored to be working so closely with USFP to support the VA’s long-term goals and core values.”
Officials said, "Each clinic is guided by a design theme that is woven throughout the interior and exterior spaces, resulting in an environment that is warm and welcoming for patients and visitors, provides efficiencies for providers and administrators, and engages the surrounding community."
“With the growing number of Veterans in our nation, it is imperative that their healthcare needs are fully addressed,” said Hosam Habib, AIA, principal, director of design at Hoefer Wysocki. “Each clinic is uniquely designed to empower Veterans to gain ready access to healthcare, to enable providers to deliver the highest quality care, and to engage and improve the communities in which the clinics are located. To that end, the design of each clinic is inspired by its community context, the site and its topography, and a spirit of compassion for our Veterans.”
- VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Chattanooga. – “A Beacon of Hope” The design centerpiece of the single-story, 100,570-square-foot Chattanooga clinic is a transparent, iconic “Beacon of Hope” – a distinctive 32-foot glass and wood structure that marks the main entry, creating a strong visual identity and sense of place. A brick veneer finish on the exterior imparts a feeling of comfort and permanence. The clinic is nestled into rolling terrain with native landscape and green space along Shallowford Road, an iconic memorial to veterans. The outdoor environment, created through extensive landscaping, site amenities, architectural elements and native plantings, contributes to a setting conducive to healing by emphasizing a connection to nature. Waiting areas in the lobby feature expansive glass walls and a clerestory providing abundant daylight and views of the surrounding landscape.