“Another ceiling tile gone!” Imagine the frustration. That was life inside Building 18. Today we will explore this building’s complex story. It is a story of changing needs and long-overdue change.
Building 18 is located on the Seattle VA campus. This campus is south of downtown on Beacon Hill. It’s the largest medical facility in the VA Puget Sound system. The campus saw over 600000 patient visits in 2022.
Building 18 has been slated for demolition for over a decade. VA documents show this. The building housed medical clinics since at least 1997. It housed the South Clinic during COVID.
But the building’s condition deteriorated over the years. In 2017, the VA stopped putting significant funds into its maintenance. The heating ventilation and air conditioning system was flagged for replacement as far back as 2004. One assessment described it as failing.
Staffers remember uncomfortable working conditions. In winter they wore coats. In summer when temperatures reached 90 degrees they opened windows and brought in fans. The VA stated the systems were operable but old. They often couldn’t keep up with temperature changes.
The VA determined in December 2021 that the HVAC failed to meet air-exchange requirements. The agency’s manual stipulates air needs to be replaced six times per hour in patient care rooms and four times in offices. A May 2022 air flow reading found only one of nine rooms met VA requirements. The report noted a lack of exhaust.
The VA said this lack of airflow was a factor in their decision to demolish the building. During the pandemic they implemented measures like physical distancing.
Other issues arose in Building 18. Pest control was needed for ants. A tree began growing through the floor. Staffers blocked it with a filing cabinet.
Then came the mold. Staffers saw what looked like black mold in May 2023. Photos showed a dark powdery substance on a ceiling vent. It also streaked down a urinal. The VA hired a company to test for mold in June 2023. The test found no evidence of black mold or air quality issues.
Despite the findings some couldn’t accept the building’s conditions. One staff member stated that he had to leave the building to use the bathroom because the mold was so bad.
The VA planned to vacate Building 18 in the summer of 2023. The initial start date was August 7. Leadership pushed the deadline to the end of the year. Then to June 2024.
The director of safety recommended staffers vacate the building. He cited uncomfortable conditions impacting employee morale. Logistics staffers wrote to congressional representatives asking for help. One letter described horrible conditions with no heat air circulation or air conditioning.
The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3197 helped with move negotiations. The union president said some people were asthmatic. Some had immune systems compromised by the mold. They were calling in sick because of it.
In early May the union toured Building 18. They passed hoses collecting rainwater and snapped photos of portable heaters. They described terrible carpet conditions and water stains everywhere.
While some clinics remained open the VA aimed to complete the relocation soon. A registered nurse worried about vulnerable patients exposed to poor air quality and potential mold. He was shocked that clinics were still operating there.
Building 18 has a long and troubled history. But it’s a history that highlights the importance of providing quality care for our veterans. Finally Building 18 closed. All specialty clinics moved to other buildings on the Seattle VA campus.