The West Texas VA Health Care System continues construction on the new Community Living Center (CLC) that will be built in 4 phases. Currently, construction for the CLC is still in Phase I but a significant amount of progress has already been made to the underground level of the Community Center.
The completion of Phase I will include a Community Center with a 1,400 sq. ft. multipurpose room with a stage, a 550 sq. ft. great room, an internet cafe, and barber shop. The Center will aslo include a conference room and administrative offices. There will also be a one 10-bed cottage that will offer a home-like environment to residents.
10 veterans will share 8,200 sq. ft. of living space, including 300 sq. ft. for individual rooms. Each resident room will have a private bathroom. The living and dining areas combined are 1.380 sq. ft., and a laundry and spa bath are included.
Sheila Austin, Public Affairs Officer and Veterans Experience Officer, says that this project differs from the current 40-bed Community Living Center that is on the 5th floor of the VA because it will be a modern, more current format. The new format provides a more comfortable environment with a community dining and it will be less clinical.