Construction starts on Will County veterans center in Joliet

Construction has started on the future Veteran Assistance and Support Center, Will County officials announced Tuesday.

Will County is retrofitting a building on the former Silver Cross Hospital campus in Joliet. The building will house offices for the Will County Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) and other veterans services.

The goal is to create a one-stop location for veterans services, county officials have said.

“The new center will be at the heart of the first unified veteran assistance and support campus in the state, solidifying the VAC’s role as a national and state leader in providing veterans with the services they’ve earned,” Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in a news release announcing the start of construction.

The former hospital campus already is home to Hines VA’s Joliet Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Volunteers of America Illinois operates its Hope Manor apartments for homeless veterans at the site.

Will County is retrofitting a four-story office building at 1300 Copperfield Ave. for expanded VAC operations and other veterans services yet to be determined.

The project is expected to be completed by early 2026.

The additional space for VAC will allow the agency to hire more service officers, reduce wait times and increase programs, according to the release.

“This new space has been a long-standing vision driven by the needs of our veterans and the belief that they deserve more than just thanks. They deserve action,” Will County VAC Superintendent Jen Solum said in the release.

VAC plans include expanded mental health and physical health programs, making use of an on-site fitness center and “personalized spaces for counseling,” the release said.

The VAC also plans to expand its food pantry and donation room. Communal spaces will be created for veterans and their families, the release said.

The building was originally built in 2003 as part of the hospital campus. The county acquired it in 2021.

Silver Cross Hospital relocated to New Lenox in 2012.