A countywide coalition is pursuing a proposal that would turn the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Montrose into a “Veteran’s Village” that could provide a full range of medical care, housing and other services to veterans and their families.

The village concept, jointly developed by the county, state, town of Cortlandt and veterans groups, was presented at an Oct. 29 Veterans Town Hall meeting at the County Center. Speakers included Spano; Bill Ryan, chair of the county Board of Legislators; Linda Puglisi, Cortlandt town supervisor; County Legislator Vito Pinto, liaison to the Veterans Advisory Board; and Ron Tocci, commissioner for veterans affairs for the state Department of Labor.

“The needs of our veterans are paramount and this site has been underutilized for years,” Spano said. “This is a perfect opportunity to create a model community that will provide housing and other services as well as vital medical care to those who served and sacrificed for our country. Unfortunately, the VA owns the land and can determine its reuse, but we have every reason to think our proposal will get the utmost consideration.”

Chairman Ryan commented that given the increasing number of veterans coming home with serious injuries from Iraq, this was not the time to put private development profits over the needs of our veterans.

"Establishing a Veterans Village at Montrose is about supporting our troops---not only when they are deployed at the front, but when they return home as veterans. We must be prepared to provide them with the services they deserve after putting their lives on the line for our country," Ryan said.

The potential Veterans Village development includes a full range of medical services, affordable housing for young veterans and their families, a continuing care retirement community, senior housing, and continued operation of the state-run nursing home, as well as townhouses for veterans and their families. 

Spano and Ryan said that the federal government could take this opportunity to make Montrose a “model accessible community” and believe there is a great need for such services.

A March issue of Newsweek noted that for every one solider killed in action, sixteen return home with serious injuries and other medical issues.

Because the VA will ultimately decide how the site will be redeveloped, the county had to frame its proposal around one of the seven study options submitted to the secretary of the VA. A recent decision by the VA to keep the residential treatment program at Montrose and build a multi-specialty ambulatory care facility wasn’t exactly what the county wanted but does allow the county to press forward with its plan.