Construction starts this summer on Ardie R. Copas veterans nursing home in Port St. Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE — More than two years after a new veterans nursing facility was proposed, ground was broken Tuesday on the $50 million Ardie R. Copas State Veterans' Nursing Home in Tradition.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” said Shyrell Copas-Herrera, daughter of Ardie R. Copas, the Fort Pierce native who was killed in action during the Vietnam War. “I just wanted to do something to honor my dad’s memory.” 

Gov. Rick Scott and representatives from St. Lucie County and the city of Port St. Lucie City joined more than 100 people at the site of the 120-bed facility.

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"I want every veteran who steps foot in this home to feel the love of a family," said Richard Copas, younger brother of Ardie R. Copas.

Construction at the 28.5-acre site, on the south side of Southwest Tradition Parkway, across from the Brennity at Tradition retirement community, is to begin this summer and last 18 to 24 months, officials said.

The home is named for Medal of Honor recipient Ardie R. Copas, an Army specialist who died in 1970 while serving as a machine-gunner in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. He was 19.

During an action, Copas returned fire but was knocked to the ground when his armored car was hit and four other Americans were wounded. Despite his injuries, Copas climbed back into the burning vehicle and fired his machine gun until the four wounded men were safely evacuated. Copas continued fighting until he died.

President Barack Obama awarded Copas the Medal of Honor and promoted him to sergeant posthumously in March 2014. Copas-Herrera accepted the honor.

The home will be designed in dormitory style, with privacy partitions separating each resident's area. It will be divided into two 60-resident neighborhoods and three-20 bed communities. Each community would have a kitchen area and community living room and den to make the facility feel like home, officials said.

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Half of the beds will be reserved for veterans diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, officials said.

“We’re trying to set it up as a home setting for the residents,” said Sandy Cohn, project director with RLF architects, of Orlando.

For admission, a resident must be a Florida resident, honorably discharged from the armed services and have a certificate of need from a VA physician. 

Treasure Coast veterans living in veterans nursing homes in other states will be given preferential placement six to eight months before this facility opens.

Click here to learn more about the life of Medal of Honor recipient Ardie R. Copas.