Photo Above: Bemidji, the largest commercial center between neighboring Grand Forks and Duluth, is a community steeped in military tradition and history. The new Veterans Home reflects the city’s values by offering care, a variety of amenities, and a scenic location for the underserved veteran population in rural Minnesota.
St. Paul, MN — The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) has announced the completion and dedication of three state-of-the-art veteran’s homes in Montevideo, Preston, and Bemidji. This historic achievement marks the first time that three major homes have been built simultaneously, setting a new standard for innovative and supportive veteran care facilities nationwide.
The dedication events, held earlier this summer, celebrated the culmination of over a decade of planning, design and construction. The homes, designed in collaboration with Perkins Eastman and Wold Architects and Engineers (Wold), foster community through a residential atmosphere with modern, comprehensive care and amenities tailored to the unique needs of veterans. The three new homes will allow Minnesota to serve almost 200 more veterans needing skilled nursing care as they age.
Amenities including fitness centers provide opportunities for veterans to focus on their health and well-being.
“We are honored to provide these new homes for our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Brad Lindsay, commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. “These facilities represent our commitment to offering the highest standard of care and creating a supportive and dignified environment for our veterans.”
With extensive experience in healthcare, senior living and long-term care spaces, Perkins Eastman and Wold collaborated on all three projects, employing a holistic process blending evidence-based design, community development, and sustainability. The new buildings emphasize a veterans-first approach, prioritizing the needs of former service members while meeting the operational needs of the staff. The homes are designed around a residential skilled care model and embody the principles of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) small house design guide with direct input provided by local veterans. Additionally, all three homes meet the State of Minnesota Construction standards, B3 requirement,s and the SB2030 energy conservation program.
Places for gathering provide ample daylight and views to the outdoors.
The Montevideo, Preston, and Bemidji Veterans Homes each feature campuses arranged with small households of 18 veterans. Each household has its own community living spaces, and all veterans’ rooms are individual and generously sized with private bathrooms. These households are designed to enhance the quality of life for residents and provide a more homelike atmosphere. Additionally, the households all connect to an active town-center which is the social hub of the campus and has added services needed by the veterans.
The Montevideo (left) and Preston (right) homes take design cues from their communities to reflect local culture.
“We are proud to have helped contribute to the design of these groundbreaking veteran homes,” said Jerry Walleck, managing principal at Perkins Eastman. “Through our partnership with Wold and the MDVA, the environments we have created will provide exceptional care that meets the specific needs of the veterans in their own communities.”
All homes feature areas for therapy, dining, wellness, and gathering that support the health and well-being of the veterans, staff and visitors. Each campus also reflects the state’s unique cultural and regional identities, with Montevideo displaying prairie-style architecture, Preston in more traditional and formal architecture, and Bemidji reflecting the beautiful North Woods cabin culture and landscape of the area.
Rustic furnishings and finishes exemplify the care and thoughtfulness involved in the design of these homes.
These three new veterans homes represent a significant advancement in the care and services provided to our country’s veterans. By prioritizing comfort, accessibility and community, these homes have set a new benchmark in veterans’ healthcare.
To learn more about Perkins Eastman’s veteran and government work, click here.