Excelsior Springs, Mo. (April 18, 2025) – With shovels in hand and a vision for the future, officials from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, local leaders, and development partners broke ground Friday morning on a new Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) that will expand health care services to thousands of veterans in the region.
The ceremony, held at 2366 Vintage Drive, marked the beginning of construction on the new Excelsior Springs VA Clinic, a more than 13,000-square-foot facility that will provide comprehensive outpatient services to over 2,700 veterans in Clay, Ray, and surrounding counties. Once completed, the clinic will provide primary care, audiology, physical therapy, and multi-specialty outpatient services in a location much closer to home for many veterans.
“This clinic is more than just a building—it’s a symbol of our continued promise to provide compassionate, patient-centered care to those who have served our nation,” said Dr. Kimberly Johnson, Chief of Staff for the Kansas City VA Medical Center. “We look forward to opening the doors and continuing to provide the exceptional care that our veterans deserve.”
The event opened with remarks from Medical Center Director Paul F. Hopkins and Dr. Johnson, followed by an address from Chris Williams, President of Highlands Development, the firm leading the construction. Williams detailed the site layout and acknowledged the collaborative effort involved in bringing the project to this point.
“Right now, we’re standing close to where the front entrance will be,” Williams said, gesturing to the freshly turned earth. “From a development standpoint, this has been two to three years in the making for our team, and even longer for the VA. It takes a lot of people working together to make something like this happen.”
Felicia Adams, Administrative Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs, explained that the clinic will replace the current location with a significantly larger and more advanced facility. “It will allow us to expand services like primary care and optometry and include additional specialties and rehab services,” she said. “We’re very excited to better meet the needs of the veterans in our community.”
Construction is expected to take 9 to 12 months, with officials aiming for a ribbon-cutting in early 2026.
The project was described as a milestone in a long-term effort by both the Kansas City VA and Highlands Development. Williams thanked key figures involved in making the project possible, including former landowner Chuck Anderson, general contractor Granite Building Company, and members of both the VA’s executive leadership and the City of Excelsior Springs.
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