Dayton VA’s piece of $800M found for maintenance nationwide is set

Dayton campus will see steam, electrical, cath lab improvements, national VA says
Building 120 on the Dayton VA campus, which houses the American Veterans Heritage Center. THOMAS GNAU/STAFF

Building 120 on the Dayton VA campus, which houses the American Veterans Heritage Center. THOMAS GNAU/STAFF

With nearly $1 billion gleaned from savings nationwide, the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus is slated to see improvements to its electrical and steam distribution systems in coming months, the national VA announced Tuesday.

The work is part of a larger, national effort the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs first announced in July, when it said the department would “realign” an additional $800 million this fiscal year as part of a non-recurring maintenance program —or work meant to be address deferred needs.

At the Dayton campus between West Third Street and U.S. 35, that means repairs or upgrades to a steam distribution system, replacement of steam lines, upgrading of paralleling switchgear for electrical systems and more.

“This is another step forward in our efforts to make the VA work better for the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in July. “Improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure help improve care for veterans, and these additional funds will enable VA to achieve that goal.”

The additional funds were to come from savings gleaned from various Veterans Health Administration reform efforts, the department said.

The additions will bring the total non-recurring maintenance program spending nationwide for fiscal year 2025 to $2.8 billion, a $500 million increase from fiscal 2024, the department said.

Many of the VA’s 170 medical centers and nearly 1,200 outpatient sites across the country are receiving similar allocations.

National and local VA spokespeople were unable to say Tuesday how much of that $800 million will be spent in Dayton. A local spokeswoman said details on local projects will be made available later.

But in its statement Tuesday, the department said the local campus was slated to see the first phase of repair and upgrade work to a campus steam distribution system, replacement of steam lines, site preparation for replacement of a cath lab, or a cardiac catheterization laboratory, electrical work and more.

The VA says it has opened 16 health care clinics across the nation since Jan. 20.

The Dayton VA is responsible for 351 beds and a budget of some $710 million annually, according to the department.

The Dayton-based health care system serves nearly 46,000 veterans annually and is comprised of the Dayton VA and four outpatient clinics in Middletown, Lima and Springfield, plus Richmond, Ind.

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