Veterans center damage probed

Jace Radke

Tuesday, April 2, 2002 | 10:56 a.m.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., was expected today to call for a full-service veterans hospital after learning of structural damage at the Addeliar D. Guy III Ambulatory Care Clinic.

Berkley was scheduled to meet with clinic director John Hempel to discuss the damage that a survey has revealed at the center, at the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Vegas Drive.

"There appears to be some signs of fractures on the outside of the building," clinic spokesman David Martinez said. "The internal structural facilities are fine, and there is no danger to the patients."

Martinez said officials at the clinic do not know the cause of the cracks showing up on the outside of the building but are hoping a survey that is nearing completion will solve the mystery.

"Director Hempel asked for the survey about a year ago when we started hearing rumors about the structure," Martinez said. "The survey is due to be completed later this month."

One rumor is that the ground the clinic is built on is unstable and portions of the structure are actually sinking.

"Whatever the survey shows we're ready to deal with it with contingency plans," Martinez said. "In case of a worst-case scenario where we have to get out, we are looking at 11 sites in the city."

Martinez refused to say where these possible temporary locations are.

The Guy clinic was opened in July 1997 by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 160,000-square-foot building replaced a 38,000-square-foot clinic on West Charleston Boulevard.