VA Clinic Now Open

After more than a year of hard work on the new Veterans Affairs Clinic, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) took possession of their new clinic, owned by US Federal Properties, on

Image of COS VA Clinic under construction

June 12. Located at the corner of Centennial Boulevard and Fillmore Street in Colorado Springs, Colo., the 96,000 square-foot clinic, with a maximum occupancy of 1,322, opened for services in mid-August. With the clinic’s opening, veterans can expect state-of-the-art medical care set against awe-inspiring views of Pikes Peak; the famous peak is framed by the clinic’s elevator lobby atrium.

Berwick Electric Co. (BEC) is proud of its involvement in installing the variety of electrical, data communications, life safety and security systems associated with the new clinic. Those who have given so much for our country now have access to radiology/biomedical, counseling, behavioral health, rehabilitation, physical therapy, optometry, audiology, dental and pharmaceutical services. “There were a lot of additions to the project, and yet we were able to finish on time with no added delays,” Jacobsen Construction Superintendent Markel Massey explained.

To help meet the diverse client needs, visitors check in at one of six kiosk units in the main lobby. From there, visitors are directed to the appropriate services area of the building; each suite has its own reception and waiting area.

Image of VA Clinic Coffee Shop Entrance

All of this activity is supported by a 3,000 amp, 277/480 volt electrical service, including nine electrical rooms, an emergency generator for the smoke evacuation system, mechanical equipment and a sophisticated lighting control system, as well as other electrically-related items. The electrical service also supports the radiology suite, which includes three x-ray rooms, MRI, CT and mammography equipment and site lighting.

For the majority of the project, BEC General Foreman John Travers oversaw a very challenging, on-site electrical installation. Great thanks go to BEC General Foremen Dale Butterfield and Dylan Alley, who contributed detailed technical systems support and finished the project when John was pulled to start another project at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. Throughout various stages of the project, BEC Foremen Ryan Hurless and Eric Norman provided additional supervision and support. Several other key members of the installation included BEC Electricians Glenn Kapu, Matt Hall, Travis Smith, Amber Weems, Roger Ross, Lynn Cleveland, Jonathan Fugate, Dan Sternthal, Tony Pisaneschi, Brian Miller, Brian Riggs, Collan Krzywonski, Zach Williams, Nathaniel Cinocco, Josh Rincones, Tyler Patzner, Michael Fernandez and Paul Heinzen.  

The VA Clinic’s data communications system is supported by six large data communications (DataComm) rooms that boast extensive copper and fiber cabling. BEC’s DataComm Division team, led by Shane Gebbink and Paul Brumley, did an excellent job overseeing the installation. BEC DataComm Technicians Anita Ternyak, Ken Brumley, Wade Sims and Tyler Lundgren completed installation work that is said to be the best and neatest designs that the VA Information Technology professionals have ever seen.

BEC Electrician Tobi Collins spearheaded the installation of the fire alarm system, as well as the integration of the sophisticated smoke evacuation system. The smoke evacuation system, which is controlled by the fire alarm system, proved to be a challenge to install. Controlled by the fire alarm system, the smoke evacuation system is also integrated with the mechanical, door security, and door operator systems; it's quite a sophisticated system.

BEC’s contract also included security systems, mostly subcontracted by BW Systems. The installation included access control, motion intrusion detection, hardwired duress, wireless duress and a few select, monitored area security cameras. “System pathways and power connections could not have been better; their (BEC’s) attention to detail is phenomenal,” Steve Cress of BW Systems explained. “This challenging project was made much more manageable due to the excellent leadership and quality work provided by Berwick Electric Co. The Colorado Springs VA Clinic project required a tremendous amount of up-front and ongoing engineering to provide systems that would integrate with the primary head-end system located at the Denver VA facility,” he added. “As the team leader, Berwick coordinated the much-needed customer meetings to flesh out the details of the installation to provide optimum system integrity.”

BEC is proud of the excellent work contributed by its general foremen, foremen, electricians and DataComm employees.  BEC looks forward to the benefit that the VA Clinic will provide for the community. Those who have served and sacrificed so much for our country deserve the best.

We invite you to take a peek at more of the new clinic by clicking play on the slideshow below.