T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Representatives of the Veterans Administration, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce and C2 Construction throw shovels of dirt as part of groundbreaking ceremonies at the site of a new medical clinic at 201 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd. Monday.

A new, nearly 12,000 square foot facility sitting on 11 acres will be the newest addition to Marshalltown’s health care community.

When completed, the single-story building’s mission will be to provide primary medical and specialty care to a large number of Central Iowa veterans as part of the Veterans Administration’s Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) system.

Fittingly, the company doing the work, C2 Construction of Hawley Minn., is managed by a veteran, Eric Card, who served nearly 23-years in the U.S. Air Force.

Card was joined by colleagues, and officials of the Veteran Administration and Marshalltown Chamber of Commerce Monday at the site, 201 E. Merle Hibbs Blvd., for groundbreaking ceremonies Monday. When completed, the new clinic will replace the current VA CBOC Clinic at 101 Iowa Ave. W. in Marshalltown.

It offers primary care and specialty health services including podiatry, eye care and more.

Card, who is in his sixth year as CEO, said he and his colleagues are excited to be building another facility to serve veterans.

“We specialize in constructing veteran-based facilities,” he said.

And Card said he is excited to get to work.

“We will begin moving earth this week,” he said, while pointing to the large hill behind the area where only minutes before shovels of dirt were thrown.

Also excited was Jessica Cink, a facilities planner with the VA in Des Moines.

“We are pleased to expand our CBOC operations with this new facility in Marshalltown,” she said.

Her enthusiasm was shared by Kurt Thielen, of Minneapolis, who is acting director for VA Central Iowa Health Care Systems in Des Moines. Thielen is a 15-year VA veteran and also served in the U.S. Navy.

“The VA is looking forward to providing the best medical care to our veterans when this facility is completed,” he said. It will offer the latest in medical and specialty services to those who proudly served our country.”

Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO John Hall pointed to the community’s large veteran population as a key reason the facility is so necessary.

“Marshalltown is home to hundreds of veterans and the Iowa Veterans Home,” he said. “It is fitting they will have another resource at their disposal when this project is completed.”