The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced this month that the agency will be ponying up $52 million toward the cost of building the new 225-bed Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home in Kearney.
In a press release announcing the federal aid, Governor Pete Ricketts said, “This is good news and moves us closer to a new, modern facility for Nebraska’s heroes. Nebraska has a proud history of taking care of its veterans, and this will be a fitting ‘thank you’ to those who have served our country with honor.”
The Nebraska Unicameral authorized the construction of the new veterans’ home in 2013.
The total cost of the project is expected to top $121 million with the remainder of the money coming from state and local government coffers. The new Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home will replace the aging veterans’ home in Grand Island. The Unicameral set aside $47 million contingent upon the feds kicking in for the project.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is overseeing the project and has signed a contract with a Kearney architectural firm, Wilkins Hinricks Stober, to begin the design work. The firm has completed the initial design for the facility and construction can begin once the federal government has okayed the design. The home is expected to be completed in fall of 2018.
