Noteboom The Law Firm

New Orleans to Build Biosciences Corridor

June 7, 2010 - As the old adage goes, there is no time like the present. Five years ago, the after-affects of Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans. Part of what was destroyed was the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. Five years later, ground has been broken at the site of what will contain the new local VA Hospital.

The new hospital will contain a New Orleans biosciences corridor. Bringing the corridor to fruition will create approximately 2,000 jobs in construction alone. Once constructed, 2,200 permanent jobs will be established holding average salaries of $95,000. This corridor is expected to be a model on which patient health care will be based for years. Once completed, the compound will contain a VA hospital with 240 beds and multiple other buildings.

The VA hospital and medical bioscience corridor has been promised to New Orleans for years. Now that vision is becoming a reality. Never before has the amount of money been spent on a medical corridor that will be spent on this project. Of the $2.5 billion being spent, $1 billion is coming from the federal government. The sate is picking up the remaining tab and that money will be used to fund a public hospital on an adjacent campus.

After the VA hospital's destruction as a result of Katrina, the VA has been providing services to veterans at clinics around New Orleans and South Louisiana. When hospital care was necessary, arrangements had to be made with either hospitals in New Orleans or VA hospitals existing outside New Orleans. Completion is expected in 2013 and full functionality should happen in 2014. Once up and running the hospital will provide health care for approximately 70,000 veterans.

Not everyone is thrilled with the construction of this corridor. Some see this new campus demolishing a historic neighborhood. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in an attempt to stop the construction of the project, but failed to meet their burden.