Illinois is getting federal money to help replace the Quincy Veterans' Home.
A $194 million grant will result in upgrades to the campus and construction of a 210 bed skilled care facility, along with another 80 independent living dorms.
The upgrade is billed as a modernization of the campus while providing a cost effective, state-of-the-art facility with single occupancy rooms and a more intimate setting for Illinois’ veterans needing skilled nursing care.
The state will pay about one-third of the total cost of the project, which is already underway. It will still be a couple of years before final completion.
“This grant allows Illinois to continue leading the nation in caring for its veterans,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “Our veterans’ homes offer high-quality care delivered by skilled and compassionate medical professionals and staff. Enhancing our campuses and infrastructure allow us to continue providing the nursing care our veterans deserve for this generation and generations to come.”
Built in 1886, Quincy is the oldest Illinois veterans’ home and sits on 210 acres along the Mississippi River. Its 37 buildings were built between 1886 and 2002, and many are now in need of major repair and upgrades.
Officials say the Quincy construction considered the long-term vision of the home’s core purpose and functions, while preserving and improving the overall character of the campus environment.
It was the site of a Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak, starting in 2015, that resulted in the deaths of up to 14 residents.
