Johnson Healthcare Real Estate was recently selected by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop a new outpatient clinic in Des Moines, Iowa. The project marks the 12th VA facility developed by Johnson. The clinic will feature primary care, physical medicine, mental health, radiology, pathology, and a prosthetics lab.
The 49,000-square-foot facility is unique in that it will utilize a previous Toys ‘R Us building. “The adaptive reuse of the previous building provides a significant opportunity to not only reduce costs, but also minimize the environmental impact of additional development,” said Derek Weaver, Senior Vice President of Federal Development for Johnson.
The project is currently in the design phase, and Johnson does not expect any material delays from COVID-19. Johnson, along with its design and construction partners and VA staff, is utilizing technology to hold online design and planning sessions remotely. “It has been remarkable how adaptable and flexible everyone has been in an effort to help keep the project on track during this time,” said Matt Cler, Vice President of Development for Johnson. SciArt Studio of La Crosse, Wis. is serving as the architect on the project. LS Black of St. Paul, Minn. is the general contractor.
Once completed in late 2021, the Des Moines VA Outpatient Clinic will serve more than 19,000 veterans in the central Iowa region. Johnson will also serve as the owner and manager of the clinic upon completion. “We are excited to not only serve as the developer of the project here in Des Moines, but also continue to be engaged as the property manager of the project,” said Tracey Creal, Director of Federal Operations for Johnson.
The recent award brings Johnson’s investment in VA facilities to approximately $300 million. In addition to the Des Moines project, Johnson is actively working on VA facilities in Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Florida, and Texas.
Johnson continues to be a leading developer of private-sector healthcare, with its annual project volume ranking them among Modern Healthcare’s top healthcare developers nationwide. In addition to its development platform, Johnson’s project management division serves the needs of its private-sector clients in both large-scale hospital construction and renovation projects, with initiatives in Utah, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama.