Letter raises concerns on health and safety hazard reports at Building 18, asks questions on project schedule
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Representative Adam Smith (D-WA-09) sent a letter to Dr. Thomas Bundt, the Executive Director of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, concerning Building 18 at VA Puget Sound. The letter comes in response to local reporting that drew attention to health and safety hazards at Building 18, including ceilings leaks and mold.
“There are also reports that although these conditions have been present for years, maintenance and deadlines for moving operations out of the building were continuously delayed, leaving six of the nine South Clinic specialties and two of the four support offices to remain operating in the building, endangering the staff and patients who use this building on a daily basis.”
The members acknowledge that construction projects are a long and complicated process, especially when clinical care must also be managed to ensure the continuation of quality care for veterans. In fiscal year 2024’s VA funding bill Senator Murray, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured the final tranche of funding to construct an entirely new outpatient facility and renovate Building 18.
“Considering the severity of the conditions and how long they have been present, we would like answers to the following questions: How does Building 18 rank amongst the other buildings that were included in the 2005 demolition plan, which was authorized by Congress in 2012? What is the current project timeline, including when construction will begin? What occurred between 2015-2024 which prevented the planned and approved renovations of the building? Will VA Puget Sound commit to bi-annual briefings on the Puget Sound campus with our staff moving forward?”
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Dr. Bundt:
Thank you for your work in providing quality health care to Washington state veterans. We write to you today because we are concerned about recent reporting regarding the conditions of Building 18 at the Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System campus in South Seattle. According to our constituents who work at and receive care from VA Puget Sound, Building 18 contains numerous health and safety hazards including ceiling leaks, overtaxed ventilation systems, mold, and water-damage. There are also reports that although these conditions have been present for years, maintenance and deadlines for moving operations out of the building were continuously delayed, leaving six of the nine South Clinic specialties and two of the four support offices to remain operating in the building, endangering the staff and patients who use this building on a daily basis.
We acknowledge that construction projects entail long and complicated processes, especially when considering the logistics of managing clinics while ensuring the continuity of quality care for veterans. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 provided the final funding for the renovation of Building 18, and considering the severity of the conditions and how long they have been present, we would like answers to the following questions:
- How does Building 18 rank amongst the other buildings that were included in the 2005 demolition plan, which was authorized by Congress in 2012?
- What is the current project timeline, including when construction will begin?
- What occurred between 2015-2024 which prevented the planned and approved renovations of the building?
- Will VA Puget Sound commit to bi-annual briefings on the Puget Sound campus with our staff moving forward?
We remain committed to supporting the veterans and employees in Washington state and the Puget Sound area who rely on VA for their care and employment. Thank you again for your work at VA and for your time and attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
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