Local veterans will soon have a new place in Berks County to receive medical care.
The VA Lebanon Healthcare System announced it has awarded a contract to a local real estate development company to build and manage a new Berks County Veterans Affairs Community Clinic in South Heidelberg Township.
The new clinic, which is slated to open in 2028, will be at 4710 Penn Ave., the former Fecera’s Furniture building. It will replace the current clinic in Wyomissing.
Officials said the new clinic will provide 29,388 square feet of clinical space and 150 parking spaces to support the growing demand for health services in Berks.
Services at the new clinic will include primary care, mental and behavioral health care, women’s health care, laboratory services, social work services, X-ray, audiology, optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy counseling, nutrition services, whole health care and telehealth services.
The expected completion date for the remodeling is October 2027, with officials anticipating the facility will become operational in early 2028.
Under this new contract, Motus Development of Wyomissing is responsible for building and managing the new facility for the next 10 years.
Dr. Stuart Roop, director of the VA Lebanon Healthcare System, said in an announcement that he’s thrilled to be able to meet the expanding demand for veterans services in Berks with a reliable partner like Motus Development.
“Our vision and values align perfectly, and veterans will benefit from this joint operation,” he said. “This achievement reflects exceptional collaboration across planning, design, procurement and program leadership. I am grateful for all the hard work and commitment to delivering critical infrastructure that supports veterans.”
The VA Lebanon Healthcare System is one of 170 medical centers in the nation with the sole purpose of providing medical care to veterans. The system serves nine counties in Pennsylvania and oversees several community clinics.
Jay Ostrich, director of the Berks County Department of Veterans Affairs, said the announcement of a bigger facility and expanded services for local veterans is exciting.
“The existing clinic has been a tremendous platform for healing in our community for quite some time but our demand has been outstripping that facility so this expansion is certainly appropriate and something that we welcome,” he said.
In his experience, Ostrich said, he has found that the most vulnerable veterans in Berks have dramatically better outcomes when the distance and cost for care is reduced.
“Having all of those services available right here will be a huge benefit for our veterans who are struggling,” he said.