Bay Pines VA, City, Community Leaders Break Ground on New North Port VA Clinic

“I am overjoyed to be here with staff, community leaders, and – most importantly – the Veterans we serve as we break ground on the future site of a state-of-the-art health care facility,” said Bay Pines VA Medical Center Director/CEO David J. VanMeter. “Veterans earned world-class health care through their service to our nation, and we plan to deliver it to them. This latest modernization will only further our goal to provide Veterans the care they deserve, when they need it.”

When complete, the new clinic will replace the current VA Clinic in Port Charlotte. The site of the future clinic, located less than 13 miles away from the current facility, will offer more than 28,016 sq. ft. of space to serve more than 10,000 Veterans annually. The estimated completion date for this project is August 2027.

“Having a clinic in North Port, one of the fastest growing cities in the country is a huge blessing to our Veterans,” said U.S. Representative Greg Steube. “This is a blessing and opportunity to be able to provide state of the art health care for our Veterans.”

Key factors in the design of the new facility include improved spaces for women’s health, an enrollment/eligibility office, two additional tele-health/tele-retinal rooms, three procedure rooms, and a blood draw area that will be double the size of the current one. The North Port location will also have a standby generator to be used during severe weather events or other instances where a loss of power would impact clinical operations. 

Furthermore, this new space will enhance our ability to implement the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model, which emphasizes coordinated and patient-centered care for the Veterans we serve. Additional services include, but are not limited to, enhanced mental health support to augment the Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) services, the expansion of primary care services, and an approximately 1,500 sq. ft. treatment space dedicated to the care of unhoused Veterans.

“We understand that the needs of Veterans in Charlotte and Sarasota Counties are unique and, because of this, we must remain innovative in our efforts to meet them where they are,” VanMeter continued. “We look forward to continued collaboration with local leaders to ensure we are meeting the needs of the Veterans we are so proud to serve.”

The new VA Clinic will be located at 4790 W Price Blvd, North Port, FL 34286, which is at the intersection of Main Street and West Price Boulevard, directly in front of the residential community The Gallery. The site is located less than three miles from I-75 S, providing convenient and easy access from the major traffic corridors that service the community. 

Leaders present at this morning’s ceremony included:

• VISN 8 Interim Network Director David Dunning
• Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Director/CEO David J. VanMeter
• Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Interim Deputy Director Justina Wells
• Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Associate Director Sean Turner
• Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Associate Director for Patient Care Services Carrie Hawkins
• Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Acting Assistant Director Szilvia Kovacs
• Representative for the 17th Congressional District Rep. Greg Steube
• Mayor of the City of North Port Pete Emrich
• CEO of Command and Control Construction Eric Card

For additional information on this event or future coverage opportunities: Contact Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s Public Affairs Office at VHABAYPublicAffairs@va.gov or . See the latest news, stories, and Veteran health care information available on our official website or official social media accounts.

Medina Ayala-Lo, Public Affairs Officer