The Van Zandt VA Medical Center has received $1.9 million for “non-recurring” infrastructure projects for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026), according to a hospital news release sent Tuesday.

The money will pay for the $1.3 million renovation of the Food and Nutrition Service kitchen and the $275,000 replacement of the air handling system in the hospital Police Department.

The kitchen work includes replacement of the refrigerators and freezers and construction of a classroom, as well as creation of additional examination room space.

The air handling system is of the Variable Refrigerant Flow-type used in large buildings, with heat pumps that precisely control the flow of refrigerant to units in various locations in those buildings, according to an online source.

Other work that has taken place or that has been scheduled for FY 2026 includes replacement of the steam system, replacement of patient lifts and upgrades of the electronic health record management systems in the main hospital and in the Johnstown, DuBois and State College outpatient clinics, according to a news release sent in August.

The money for such work is “part of a record $4.8 million in nationwide VA spending to modernize, repair and improve health care facilities,” according to the more recent news release.