SUOZZI: “BIG NEWS! THE DEMOLITION OF NORTHPORT VA BUILDINGS 1 AND 2 HAS BEGUN!”
After years of advocating, Suozzi’s efforts to see the derelict buildings removed is finally coming to fruition
Today, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D - Long Island, Queens) who, after years of advocating for the removal of derelict buildings at the Northport campus, met with Dr. Antonio Sánchez, the Executive Director of the Northport VA Medical Center, for an update and inspection on the progress of the demolition. Photos and video from the visit are available here.
“After pushing for this demolition for years, I am pleased to report that Building 1 is down,” said Suozzi. “Building 2 will be down by the end of September with total clean up by November. This is a huge victory for the Northport VA and our veterans and is something that I have been prioritizing since I came to Congress in 2017. When you pulled into the Northport VA, the first things you saw were these two decaying and decrepit buildings. These buildings will soon be gone and replaced by a new parking field to better accommodate the center’s staff and visitors.”
Suozzi, who has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs to demolish the structures since his election in 2017, has said the dilapidated buildings — which have been surrounded by hazard fencing because of the risk of falling debris — have been sending the wrong message to the public about how the facility cares for its veterans. Since coming to Congress, Suozzi has worked tirelessly to improve the image and quality of care at the Northport VA.
The demolition of these two decaying buildings, which were the first structures one would see upon entering the Northport campus, will yield much-needed parking for the facility which cares for more than 30,000 veterans a year.