Demolition Project To Make Way For New VA Hospital In Tulsa

Demolition crews are preparing the Kerr-Edmonson Buildings in downtown Tulsa for teardown to turn them into the new VA hospital.

Tuesday marks the beginning of a demolition project that'll turn old buildings into Tulsa's newest and most modern hospital, providing better healthcare for veterans.

Dr. Steven Lieberman with the Veterans Health Administration said the new hospital will play a key role in making sure northeast Oklahoma's veterans are taken care of.

The first phase in getting there is gutting the inside of the Kerr-Edmonson building.

Dr. Lieberman said the new VA hospital will be housed next to the expanded OSU Campus - converting the existing building into a 275,0000 square foot, 58-bed medical-surgical hospital for veterans.

"The relationship with Oklahoma State University, the healthcare system, is just going to bring the best and brightest to care for veterans here," he said.

The $140-million project is the largest philanthropic public-private partnership in the state.

In 2020, the state transferred ownership of the building to OSU. A development team spent the last two years finalizing the hospital's design and getting the project approved by regulators.

President of Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Dr. Johnny Stephens said in a release, "I am thrilled to reach this stage of action for the VA Hospital ... This project has been years in the making and will improve ease and efficiency for Veterans. The proximity to OSU's academic healthcare facilities will provide great collaboration opportunities."

Construction is set to begin within the first few months of next year and is expected to finish at the end of 2024.

Once that's done, the VA will take ownership from OSU and start onboarding patients before opening to veterans in 2025.