SAN JUAN VETERAN AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER Expansion
VA Caribbean Health Care System
San Juan

VA Caribbean (http://www.caribbean.va.gov/)
Heery (http://www.heery.com/portfolio/veterans-administration-puerto-rico.aspx?service=6)

Expansión del Hospital de Veteranos cuya inversión total asciende a $400 millones de dólares. La construcción se realizará en 4 fases. Fases I y II fueron recientemente completadas. Fase III comenzará próximamente construcción y la fase IV se estima estará completada para noviembre de 2015.


Fase I - Nuevo edificio de 130,000 p/c que albergará las oficinas administrativas. Expansión a sala de emergencias.

Fase II - South Bed Tower - Torre de 7 niveles y 225,585 p/c de construcción. Adición de 305 camas. Edificio LEED.

Fase III - Construcción de un estacionamiento multipisos con capacidad para 1,500 vehículos. El mismo incluye un puente peatonal conectando el estacionamiento multipisos con la torre principal del centro médico.

Fase IV - Renovación y corrección sísmica a toda la instalación hospitalaria existente.



South Bed Tower Rendering

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2163/unledavu.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/510/unledavu.jpg/)


Mapa de las facilidades - Edificios 9 y 10 son fases I y II. Fase III no aparece en el mapa. Fase IV es la remodelación de las estructuras existentes.

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/7913/facilitymap1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/847/facilitymap1.jpg/)

VA Caribbean Healthcare System Running as New Wing Opens (http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/09/10/va-caribbean-healthcare-system-running-as-new-wing-opens/)

VA Caribbean Healthcare System
The VA Caribbean Healthcare System, formerly known as the San Juan Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Veterans Hospital) recently held a “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” for the new South Bed Tower at the San Juan VA Medical Center.
The new facility is a state-of-the-art, seismically correct, six-story bed tower on site to house 305 acute care beds in the existing main building dating from 1969. The tower, a stand-alone structure, is 225,585 square-feet housing a state-of-the-art utility system, including “smart” system sensors and controls, fire protection and life safety devices, 100 percent emergency power, energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning and lighting systems.
The project involves application of sustainability through the use of the new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The new structure, located at the southern end of the property, addresses issues such as seismic/structural corrections, privacy and female veterans’ needs, as well as the most up-to-date structural, engineering and medical technologies.


VA Awards $47.6 Million for Expansion and Renovation of Puerto Rico Facility (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2009)

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in San Juan, P.R., will see its outpatient-clinic building renovated and expanded in the next two years with a construction contract of $47,559,254.

“As same-day treatment and diagnostic procedures increasingly become the forms of medical care most often needed for our Veterans, it’s imperative that VA facilities meet the need with adequate space, the best technology and comfortable environments,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are pleased to reach a milestone toward transforming the San Juan VA Medical Center into a 21st Century health care facility.”

The contract awarded to Walsh Construction Co. Puerto Rico will provide more than 130,000 square feet of clinical and diagnostic facilities. The project is one of several phases of a comprehensive improvement plan for the hospital, which involves $400 million in construction.

This phase will provide additional space for exam rooms and supporting clinical functions in the existing outpatient-clinic building. That includes new clinics for dentistry, audiology and speech pathology, diabetes and infectious diseases care and other sub-specialty and primary care. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2012. It will also allow existing outpatient services to be relocated when the main hospital is renovated to include modern space and building systems and improved safety for patients and staff.

In addition to a new bed tower recently completed and an administration building now under construction, future phases will include construction of a 1,500-space parking garage and renovation of the main hospital building. Construction of all phases of this major initiative is scheduled to be completed in fall 2015.

Renovation and Expansion of Healthcare Facilities for Veterans (http://www.caribbean.va.gov/features/Renovation_and_Expansion_of_Healthcare_Facilities_for_Veterans.asp)

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System is pleased announce the renovation and expansion of its outpatient-clinic building in San Juan, PR.

"As state-of-the-art technology and diagnostic procedures forms part of the medical care provided to Veterans, it’s vital that VA facilities are enhanced in terms of space, and comfortable environments,” said Wanda Mims, Director of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System.

The $47.5 million construction will provide additional space for exam rooms and supporting clinical functions in the existing outpatient-clinic building. That includes new clinics for dentistry, audiology and speech pathology, diabetes and infectious diseases care and other sub-specialty and primary care. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2012. It will also allow existing outpatient services to be relocated when the main hospital is renovated to include modern space and building systems and improved safety for patients and staff.

To celebrate the initiation of this renovation and expansion the VA Caribbean Healthcare System held a "laying of the cornerstone" ceremony on January 20, 2011 in the San Juan VA Medical Center. Local dignitaries and leaders of Veterans Service Organizations were in attendance.



Saturday, June 4, 2011
Pierluisi Obtains Over $100 Million for the San Juan Veterans Hospital (http://pierluisi.house.gov/english/news/2010/06.04.2011%20Pierluisi%20obtains%20over%20100%20million%20for%20the%20san%20juan%20veterans%20hospital.html)

Appropriation represents 15% of all major construction funding to be allocated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2012

WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve a $108 million appropriation for the completion of the third and fourth phases of a large-scale renovation of the San Juan Veterans Affairs Medical Center, announced Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi.

This important appropriation represents 15% of the total funds to be appropriated by Congress for major construction projects by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Fiscal Year 2012. Approximately $176 million has already been appropriated for phases one and two of the four-phase renovation of the veterans hospital, which includes a new administrative building and new bed tower.

This appropriation will allow for an expansion of the emergency room, namely the addition of beds in its chest pain center, as well the construction of an integrated waste management center, which will manage hazardous waste, biomedical waste, solid waste, and recycling at the Medical Center.

“Since I came to Washington, one of my primary goals has been the renovation of the San Juan VA Medical Center. During my many meetings with them, our veterans always make it a point to remind me that improvements to the VA hospital is a top priority for them, and I have conveyed these concerns to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki,” said Pierluisi.

“General Shinseki recognizes the valor of Puerto Rican men and women in uniform, many of whom served alongside him in Vietnam, and he is committed to addressing all the challenges that our veterans’ population faces. He believes that they deserve the same benefits as their fellow veterans in the states, especially when it comes to health care. I am pleased that this appropriation honors that commitment,” added the Resident Commissioner.

The third phase of the project that will be funded by this new appropriation consists of the demolition of a large portion of the old hospital tower and the renovation of 222,000 square feet of the hospital to provide seismic bracing and asbestos abatement. This phase is expected to be completed by October 2015.

The fourth and final phase, which is projected to be completed by November 2015, will include the construction of a new 1,500-space parking garage, which has been a longstanding request of the Island’s veterans. The garage will include a pedestrian bridge connecting the garage to the hospital.

"We have put considerable pressure on the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that our veterans have a high-quality facility where they can receive excellent medical care. No one who served in uniform defending our nation and its fundamental freedoms should have to worry about the quality or availability of medical care. I thank President Obama for including this important appropriation in the VA budget," said Pierluisi.

Fortuño inaugura expansión en Hospital de Veteranos (http://blogsdecuba.impela.net/2010/07/fortuno-inaugura-expansion-en-hospital-de-veteranos/)
July 18, 2010
Publicado para hoy 18 de julio



San Juan, P.R.- El gobernador de Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuño, inauguró hoy una nueva ala del Hospital de Veteranos (conocida como la “South Bed Tower Building”), tras una inversión de $84 millones.

La nueva extensión al hospital, la primera de dos fases, consiste de una torre de seis pisos construidos con tecnología anti-sísmica de vanguardia, y se hace posible gracias a los esfuerzos del Gobernador, quien como Comisionado Residente logró rescatar unos $85 millones en fondos federales dirigidos a este proyecto que llevaban congelados por varios años.

“Con esta nueva extensión, le hacemos justicia a los cientos de miles de veteranos en Puerto Rico y el Caribe que acuden a diario a esta facilidad para recibir servicios de salud. Su compromiso con la defensa de nuestros derechos democráticos y nuestra Nación debe ser recompensado con un cuidado de excelencia, incluyendo facilidades hospitalarias de la más alta calidad”, resaltó el Gobernador.

Fortuño aprovechó la oportunidad para reconocer la labor encomiable de las organizaciones de veteranos en la Isla, que por años han reclamado más y mejores servicios y beneficios. “He tenido el privilegio de colaborar cercanamente con estas organizaciones para obtener fondos para estas facilidades. Agradezco su apoyo a través de los años y los felicito porque esta nueva extensión les pertenece a ustedes”.

El nuevo edificio, de 225,585 pies cuadrados adicionales, alojará las 305 camas que actualmente ocupan el edificio principal, incluyendo un área para féminas. Cuenta, además, con el equipo eléctrico-tecnológico de ingeniería más moderno disponible en este mercado, lo que garantiza una operación de óptima calidad.

La segunda fase de las mejoras al Hospital de Veteranos significará una inversión de $299 millones, dirigidos a fortalecer el edificio principal para prepararlo para eventos sísmicos, además de mejorar su acceso y establecer una nueva clínica ambulatoria a través del “VA Healthcare System” en Puerto Rico. Para esta segunda fase, el Gobernador obtuvo como Comisionado Residente una autorización de $225.9 millones en el Congreso. Con esta autorización de fondos se facilitarán los fondos federales necesarios para completar la segunda fase.

“La salud de los veteranos siempre ha sido una de mis mayores propiedades. Es por eso que siempre he dado la milla extra para conseguirle los fondos necesarios para mejorar y tener las mejores facilidades para ellos. Junto al actual Comisionado Residente, Pedro Pierluisi, y yo, queremos proveerles a ustedes mejores servicios y no descansaremos hasta lograr que nuestros veteranos reciban igualdad en calidad de servicios y beneficios que disfrutan el resto de los veteranos en la Nación”, concluyó el Gobernador.

$108M for Veterans Hospital upgrades (http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=58118&ct_id=1)
By : KEVIN MEAD
kevin@caribbeanbusinesspr.com


The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the allocation of $108 million to complete the third and fourth phases of upgrades at the Veterans Hospital in San Juan.
The allotment represents 15 percent of all funding for military construction in the U.S. for fiscal 2012. It comes on top of $175 million already earmarked for other work at the Veterans Hospital, including the construction of a new administrative building and outpatient clinic, and additional beds.

The newly approved funding will also go toward the expansion of the emergency area, specifically to add space to the Chest Pain Center, and to the construction of a biomedical waste management facility.

“Since the start of my work in Washington, D.C., upgrading the Veterans Hospital has been among my priorities,” Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi said. “In my meetings with veterans groups, complaints and concerns about the hospital have been a constant. I took those claims directly to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.”

The third phase of the upgrades entails demolishing much of the old medical tower, renovations, asbestos removal and buttressing the structure against an earthquake. That work is scheduled to be finished by October 2015.

The fourth phase, on track to be completed by November 2015, includes the addition of 1,500 parking spaces and a pedestrian bridge linking the parking lot and the hospital. A shortage of parking has long been a complaint at the hospital.

“We have put a lot of pressure on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that our veterans have a dignified facility to receive medical services,” Pierluisi said.

“No solider who served in the defense of our nation and freedom should have to worry about the medical attention they receive following their sacrifice,” the resident commissioner said. “I commend President Obama for including this important funding in his budget.”

The Veterans Hospital in San Juan is the hub of VA Caribbean Healthcare System, which provides services to a population of 150,000 veterans in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In fiscal 2008, the VA Caribbean Healthcare System registered 66,955 unique patients with 11,428 inpatient treated and provided 927,072 outpatient visits at all clinic areas in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

July 15, 2010

VA Caribbean Healthcare System officially opens new South Bed Tower at San Juan VA Medical Center (http://www.visn8.va.gov/pressreleases/07152010_newbedtower.asp)

July 15, 2010

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The VA Caribbean Healthcare System held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new South Bed Tower at the San Juan, Puerto Rico VA Medical Center July 15.

The new state-of-the-art facility is a six-story tower that houses 305 acute care beds for patients admitted for short term treatment. The building is a stand-alone structure located on the southern end of the San Juan VAMC property measuring approximately 225,585 square feet.

The building comes complete with the most modern utility systems to include fire protection and life safety devices, 100 percent emergency power, energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and lighting systems.

VA Caribbean Healthcare System officials noted that they are proud to be able to provide the facilities and technology necessary to meet the needs of Veterans living in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The medical center has been undergoing extensive construction programs for the last three years,” said Wanda Mims, VA Caribbean HCS Director.

“These programs cover the entire realm of VA construction: Major construction, minor program construction and non-recurring maintenance construction projects. The intent has been to solve the deficiencies identified in the facility condition assessment in an effective and efficient manner while continuing regular operations to serve its veteran population”.

As part of the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8), the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is comprised of the main hospital in San Juan, two multi-specialty clinics in Ponce and Mayaguez, and two Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Arecibo and Guayama. Two additional CBOCs are located in St. Thomas and St. Croix, U.S. Virigin Islands.

About VISN 8

The VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8), headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., specializes in quality health care delivery and related services for more than 1.7 million Veterans. The network is comprised of eight Joint Commission-accredited Medical Centers and 49 clinics located in 79 counties across Florida, South Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

To learn more about VA Sunshine Healthcare Network visit www.visn8.va.gov.

Está chevere, yo estaré haciendo servicio comunitario en un VA aquí en Tampa.

Que bien Saavedra :)

Juzgando por el mapa de las instalaciones, asumo que estas son imagenes y renders del edificio 10 del complejo hospitalario.

Allan Spear Construction (http://allanspearco.com/Current-Projects/226/VA-in-Puerto-Rico.html)

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/8594/2431273146122932.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/406/2431273146122932.jpg/)

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4421/2431273146099166.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/208/2431273146099166.jpg/)

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/9835/2431273146072824.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/266/2431273146072824.jpg/)


Updates:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3438/2261317210434003.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/97/2261317210434003.jpg/)

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5043/2261316705566069.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/526/2261316705566069.jpg/)

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/2946/2261311249833878.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/2261311249833878.jpg/)

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2002/2261310411398212.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/27/2261310411398212.jpg/)

Vi este proyecto la ultima vez que me monte en el tren (hace 2 semanas) y esta quedando brutal! Ahi no se ve la otra parte del edificio, que son cristales de distintos colores.

Los dos renders presentados son parte del hospital. El mapa que aparece en el primer post no esta actualizado por lo que el complejo hospitalario es aun mas grande de lo que muestra el mapa.

El render de la primera torre esta terminada y es segun el render. El render de la segunda torre muestra la que aun esta en construccion pero bastante adelantada.

DX/J

Intente tomar mas fotos pero para tomarlas desde los predios del hospital tengo que pedir permiso. Toda el area esta en construccion. La expansion es bastante grande y consta de varias estructuras. Una de las torres ya esta terminada.



http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9021/cimg7793l.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/38/cimg7793l.jpg/)