July 7, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — WHAT: The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, together with members of the Veterans community, will open a time capsule from 1934 during the cornerstone removal ceremony of historic building 9 at the Minneapolis Veterans Home Tuesday, July 7 at 10:30 a.m. The original cornerstone is dated at the start of construction, Nov. 11, 1934. Completed in 1937, building 9 was constructed almost entirely by hand over a span of nearly three years.
Tomorrow’s ceremony also kicks off demolition of the existing structure and subsequent construction of a new 100 bed skilled nursing care facility on the site. Residents were moved from the current building 9 in November 2007 after structural problems were discovered.
Construction of the new facility is scheduled to be complete by fall of 2011. This project is funded in part, 65 percent, by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which awarded the state of Minnesota $17.5 million for demolition and construction of a replacement facility. Legislation was passed and signed by Governor Pawlenty approving a 35 percent state match of federal dollars. The state match is $10.1 million of the total project. In an effort to preserve some of the historical elements from building 9, a number of original features and decor will be incorporated and displayed in the new building, including the cornerstone of building 9.
For more information on this event, visit www.mdva.state.mn.us/calendar.
WHEN: Tuesday July 7, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Minneapolis Veterans Home Building 9
5101 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55417-1699
INTERVIEW
OPS: Clark Dyrud, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs; Gilbert Acevedo, Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Health Care and Judy Kurki-Coleman, Minneapolis Veterans Home Administrator.
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is a cabinet level state agency dedicated to serving Minnesota veterans and their families. In addition to overseeing the five State Veterans Homes, MDVA helps eligible veterans and families secure state and federal benefits and provides programs and services relating to higher education, benefits, burial, claims, outreach and veterans preference. For more information visit www.mdva.state.mn.us or call 1-(888)-LinkVet.
Media Contact:
Anna Lewicki Long
(651) 757-1536
(651) 263-2640 cell
anna.long (at) state.mn (dot) us
