Veterans home groundbreaking set for Aug. 26

BEMIDJI -- Construction of a new veterans home in Bemidji will soon be commemorated.

On Thursday, Aug. 26, federal, state and local leaders will join regional veterans to celebrate the groundbreaking. The new home, expected to be finished in June 2023, is an estimated $45.5 million project, with a construction budget of $38.2 million.

This year, the project was awarded $29.6 million in federal funds . The federal action came after the Minnesota Legislature approved $12.4 million for the project in its 2018 bonding bill .

Local efforts were also made to raise money, with $2.3 million being generated for the project from government units, organizations and private donors . Locally, Beltrami County provided $1 million and the city of Bemidji gave $250,000.

The building will be constructed on a 14.75 acre lot on the city's north side, near the Sanford Health campus on Anne Street. The land was donated by Sanford and is adjacent to the provider's Neilson Place facility.

Once finished, the veterans home will be 80,634 square feet with four sections, each containing 18 rooms. In total, the facility will house 72 private rooms, with each of the four sections having its own nurse center.

To be eligible for the home, residents must require clinical needs from a skilled nurse or domiciliary care.

The groundbreaking will take place at 920 Anne St. For those unable to attend, a live broadcast of the event will be streamed at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs' Facebook page.

For more information, visit www.minnesotaveteran.org/events .