VA Hospital costs in Orlando are on track

VA Hospital costs in Orlando are on track, officials tell Mica
By Marni Jameson
Orlando Sentinel
July 30, 2012

Veterans' Affairs officials overseeing the construction of the new Orlando VA Medical Center told U.S. Rep. John Mica today that project costs are actually well under budget, and that the agency won't be asking Congress for any more money.

"This is the best feeling I've had in a long time about this project," said Mica (R-Winter Park). "It's not as grim a picture as has been painted."

In a Congressional hearing in March, representatives from Brasfield & Gorrie, the main contractor for the project, testified that the project was running at least $120 million over budget.

Congress has appropriated $665 million for the 1.2 million-square-foot medical center, which was supposed to open this October, but is delayed.

In the meeting to update Mica on the project's status, VA officials committed to a summer 2013 completion. "The work can physically be done within that time frame," said Bart Bruchok, senior resident engineer for the VA project.

Brasfield & Gorrie has targeted completion for the end of 2014.
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