Bids sought for building center

The bidding process has begun for the construction of a new Veterans Affairs medical center in Jefferson County to replace the existing Robley Rex facility.

The Army Corp of Engineers is soliciting bids for companies to take on the project through Feb. 23, spokesperson Shatara Riis said. That date could be extended, she added.

July is the target date for awarding the contract, according to Riis.

A request for proposals for the project is live on the agency’s website and includes details for the location.

The new facility will include a 104-bed hospital, a parking structure that will fit approximately 2,600 cars and a central utility plant, according to the listing.

It describes the current facility off Zorn Avenue as “constrained by physical topography and existing infrastructure that cannot be improved without significant adverse impact to ongoing delivery of healthcare and which cannot support delivery of modern healthcare.”