To meet the growing needs of the more than 23,000 veterans living in the Lakeland, Fla., area, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is consolidating multiple local facilities into one expanded outpatient clinic. At 132,000 square feet—five times bigger than the existing clinic spaces together—the facility will be better suited to meet patients’ needs, now and into the future.
The Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic will be centrally located within the Lakeland community and just 4.5 miles from Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Patient parking at the front of the site, along with a covered drop-off area on the front of the building, will enable easy access for visitors, while dedicated staff parking and entry on the rear of the building will increase efficiencies.
Outdoor seating areas will offer veterans and visitors a space to enjoy the fresh air and Florida sunshine. The site will include an exterior canteen area and a healing garden, as well. Staff will have access to a separate, dedicated outdoor space and multiple second-floor balconies for respite.
Inside, the materials palette will reflect Florida’s natural habitat, using cool earth tones, natural stone, and wood elements throughout to emphasize the area’s natural beauty. Additionally, floor-to-ceiling windows in the main lobby, combined with large windows on all sides of the building, will flood the space with natural light.
The clinic will house primary care, audiology and speech pathology, physical therapy, mental health, ophthalmology, and prosthetic and sensory aid services. The clinic will also feature a lab and pharmacy as well as CT, X-Ray, mammography, MRI, and ultrasound technologies. To increase operational efficiencies, patient care spaces will be arranged around central staff work areas within each clinic.
Project Details:
Facility name: Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic
Location: Lakeland, Fla.
Expected completion date: mid 2023
Owner: The Molasky Group of Companies
Total building area: 132,000 gross sq. ft.
Total construction cost: TBD
Cost/sq. ft.: TBD
Architecture firm: Gresham Smith
Interior design: Gresham Smith
General contractor: The Korte Company
Engineering: Newcomb & Boyd (MEP), Thornton Tomasetti (structural), Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. (civil)
Builder: The Korte Company
