EUGENE (KMTR) – The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a new location that will soon head to Eugene. The new Community Based Outpatient Clinic will be built off Chad Drive, not far from Costco.
Guard Publishing owned the site near Old Coburg Road. It sold more than 13 acres to a developer in California that will build the 100,000 square foot hospital and lease it to the VA for 20 years. It’s expected to bring in more than 200 jobs to the area. The new announcement means local vets may no longer have to drive to Roseburg or Portland for their services.
“It's still a pretty rough economic time for our community,” says Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy. “This gives us a lot of encouragement and a lot of energy that we're continuing to move forward in a very difficult time, and i think that's good news for everyone."
Congressman Peter Defazio, pushed for this new hospital. He says it's unacceptable it took five years to get to this point, but he's relieved the VA finally selected a site. Springfield also had a couple sites up for consideration. It says even though Eugene was chosen, the entire community will benefit.
The hospital should be open by 2015.
