Epic Build Battle – WBAMC vs El Paso VAHCS
My local Veterans Administration will be breaking ground on their new hospital next week. Expected to be a 492,996 square foot medical center, it will be built next to the existing William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) with a scheduled completion date in 2028. Clark Construction has been awarded the contract.
Until 2021, both EP VAHCS and WBAMC shared connected facilities. Then WBAMC constructed their new hospital. That project was riddled with setbacks both in time and money. Construction began in 2013 with an expected completion date in 2017. But that completion date kept getting extended. Clocking in at $1.4 billion ($629 million over budget) it finally opened in 2021 and dubbed the most expensive hospital in the world by us locals.
It will be nice to have the emergency room of WBAMC co-located with the VA hospital once again. Not to mention just a little bit closer to my house. Question is, how long will it take and how much over budget? Currently the projected cost is just south of $617.5 million. I saw the model at the current VA hospital lat week. Assuming I’m still around, I’ll keep us up to date right here.