The VA construction program took more hits recently after the chairman of a congressional Committee on Veterans’ Affairs called an Aurora, Colo., hospital project “a disaster,” and a key VA official resigned abruptly.
The 182-bed Aurora hospital has incurred more than $1 billion in cost overruns. The Army Corps of Engineers has taken over the management of the project. Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee, said the breakdown was due to “pure incompetence.” Democrats on that committee last week proposed stripping the VA of any construction authority.
Contractor Kiewit-Turner ceased construction on the Aurora hospital in December after the United States Civilian Board of Contract Appeals determined that the VA breached its contract by failing to provide a design that could be built for $582,840,000.
Rep. Jeff Miller called for the agency to fire the executives responsible for construction of VA hospitals. Amid this controversy, Glenn Haggstrom, principal executive director of the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction with the VA abruptly resigned his post.
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 2, 2017
The Patient-Centered Care Learning Center will help address the shortage of doctors in Missouri and the U.S.
The new BNIM-designed facility brings almost 100,000 sf of space for patient-centered care and classrooms.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 1, 2017
An animal care facility expands with a human touch
New equipment and surgery suites exceed what’s found in most vet clinics.
Senior Living Design | Jul 31, 2017
How technology will change senior care
When a family member can no longer be cared for in their current home, they require specialized care that is only available in a long-term care center.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 25, 2017
Healthcare technology: Preparing for the world of tomorrow
This article outlines the current data center landscape in the healthcare sector, industry trends, and challenges and opportunities new technologies present to the healthcare space.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 24, 2017
AIA selects seven projects for Healthcare Design Awards
The facilities showcase the best of healthcare building design and health design-oriented research.
Accelerate Live! | Jul 6, 2017
Watch all 20 Accelerate Live! talks on demand
BD+C’s inaugural AEC innovation conference, Accelerate Live! (May 11, Chicago), featured talks on machine learning, AI, gaming in construction, maker culture, and health-generating buildings.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 29, 2017
Uniting healthcare and community
Out of the many insights that night, everyone agreed that the healthcare industry is ripe for disruption and that communities contribute immensely to our health and wellness.
Industry Research | Jun 27, 2017
What does the client really want?
In order to deliver superior outcomes to our healthcare clients, we have to know what our clients want.
Building Team Awards | Jun 8, 2017
Quick turnaround: Partners HealthCare
Silver Award: A 2½-year project brings Partners HealthCare’s sprawling administrative functions under one roof.
| May 30, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Health-generating buildings, Marcene Kinney, Angela Mazzi, GBBN Architects
Architects Marcene Kinney and Angela Mazzi share design hacks pinpointing specific aspects of the built environment that affect behavior, well-being, and performance.