Constructing a Vital Community Living Center

Project Overview

The GBA Builders Federal team, alongside their joint venture partner, DAX, recently completed the construction of a new 27,000-square-foot Community Living Center at the Harry S. Truman Memorial VA Hospital in Columbia, Missouri.

The Community Living Center is a long-term care facility for patients who have either undergone surgery or will need intensive medical attention for the rest of their lives. It’s not just a medical space—it’s a comfortable environment with 14 private rooms, each with its own bathroom. The facility also has a park, a kitchen and a dining area. The GBA Builders team acted as superintendent and project manager for the project’s construction. They also provided oversight and mentorship to the DAX project manager.

The project’s external features included roads, walkways, drainage, utilities and landscaping. Internally, the scope focused on foundational aspects, including concrete infrastructure, roofing and structural elements, as well as installing electrical, plumbing and security systems to ensure operational efficiency and safety within the facility.

As is typical with projects of this magnitude, there were some challenges. The labor shortage issue that plagued every industry during this timeframe also affected the subcontractors on this project. To compensate for the deficiency, the team devised a solution to supplement the labor for the subcontractors; the project was completed as planned by working longer days and weekends. The location of the project site also provided some additional hurdles. Because the hospital building encompassed the entire project site, additional coordination and communication with the VA and subcontractors were required.

Construction of this project was completed in July of 2023.