Plans for VA clinic include more parking

Officials hope to begin building a 4,000-square-foot addition by January.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 21, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Plans to expand the Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic on Little Road are well under way, with officials looking to begin building a 4,000-square-foot addition by January and start a new dental clinic by February.

Perhaps even bigger news for the 15,000 veterans who use the clinic each year: more parking.

The expansion of the clinic will come with the addition of 45 new spaces in the constantly crowded parking lot.

The time line and other details - including a proposal to expand mental health services - were made public Thursday by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who has made expansion of the Pasco clinic a priority.

A Bilirakis spokesman did not have a price tag for the project. The money will come from the budget of parent facility James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa and won't require a congressional appropriation.

"I am very pleased at the progress of this Pasco clinic's expansion of services and facilities," Bilirakis said in a news release. "Upon completion, these upgrades will greatly enhance the quality of life for our veterans in need of medical care and meet the needs of a surging veterans' population in this area."

Engineers are now reviewing the blueprints for the expansion, which would add examination rooms and improve the speed with which doctors can see patients, according to a report from Haley director Stephen Lucas.

Officials are also looking to lease about 2,500 square feet of space for the dental clinic. At this time, veterans have to travel to Tampa for dental care. Bilirakis spokesman John Tomaszewski said the hope is to find space near the outpatient clinic.

The Little Road outpatient clinic will also expand the space dedicated to mental health services. It's unclear yet exactly how. Bilirakis' office says a temporary annex will be built to house mental services while the 4,000-square-foot addition is under construction.

The Pasco clinic first opened in a smaller building more than 20 years ago before moving into the Little Road campus in 2000. But shortly after opening its doors, the clinic quickly became crowded.

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or 727869-6247.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 21:56:15]