Groundbreaking Marks a New Era of Care for Over 42,000 Coastal North Carolina Veterans
By Corey Howard, Program Applications Specialist
In a region long defined by military sacrifice and resilience, officials, local representatives, and community leaders gathered to break ground on a long-awaited, state-of-the-art Veterans Affairs (VA) Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic (MSOC).
Representing a crucial expansion of healthcare access for Eastern North Carolina, the new facility will serve more than 42,000 local Veterans, many of whom previously faced lengthy travel times to regional medical hubs for specialized care.
A Promise to a Proud Military Community
Jacksonville is home to vital military installations, including Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Speaking at the ceremony, project leaders emphasized that the clinic is more than just concrete and steel, it represents a solemn obligation fulfilled.
As best noted by Lindsay Killian, Director of Lease Execution, "Jacksonville is known across the country as a proud Marine and military town... Today it's more than just a groundbreaking ceremony; it is a promise. Our promise is to not only deliver a clinic that is worthy of the Veterans that it serves, but also worthy of Jacksonville, this city that has carried the weight of conflicts, deployments, and homecomings for generations."
Echoing these sentiments, Marri Nicki Fryar, Executive Director of the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System, highlighted the critical role the new clinic will play in meeting the region's rapidly growing demands, "As the only healthcare system in North Carolina supporting three major military installations, we stand at the center of one of the fastest-growing healthcare markets in the state. This growth underscores our profound responsibility to deliver exceptional, accessible care to those who have served our nation. This project represents a vital commitment to ensure that those who serve our nation today will continue to receive the care and support they deserve long after their military service completes."
The new facility is being developed in direct partnership with the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System and Kansas City-based developer Hoefer Welker, who will serve as the lessor, developer, and general contractor.
Project Timeline & Development Footprint
The groundbreaking represents the culmination of a decade-long planning and bidding effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs. With official site preparation now underway, construction is projected to span the next two and a half years under the leadership of site superintendent Mark Heller. The newly constructed facility is slated for official delivery in the fall of 2028, with its doors opening to serve patients by the summer of 2029.
USFP brings extensive regional experience to the undertaking, having constructed 15 government healthcare facilities totaling over $1 billion in Southeast construction alone. Leadership assured the community of a strict commitment to both schedule and budget discipline, pointing out that across 21 previous VA builds nationwide, the developer has never delivered a facility late.
Federal Support and Congressional Priorities
The facility’s funding was made possible in part by landmark federal initiatives, which have significantly expanded VA healthcare funding and access for Veterans.
Speaking on behalf of U.S. Representative Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03), who serves on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, District representative Mallory Armstrong underscored the significance of the project for the region's 76,000+ total veteran population.
Looking Ahead
With site preparation now underway, the groundbreaking marks the start of a two-and-a-half-year construction phase. Once operational in mid-2029, the Jacksonville MSOC will drastically reduce waiting times, bring specialized medical care directly to local neighborhoods, and eliminate the need for thousands of Veterans to travel far from home to receive the treatment they earned.