St. Paul, Minn. – Federal, State and Local elected officials, business and civic leaders, Veterans Service Organizations, advocates, volunteers, donors and Residents gathered on Thursday at the Minnesota Veterans Homes - Preston to officially dedicate the facility.

The Home came to fruition after more than a decade of advocacy and planning and two years of construction. “Our Residents deserve the very best,” says Brad Lindsay, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). “The facility is absolutely beautiful, and we were thrilled to collaborate with our Veterans and the community to make this happen. This dedication marks a meaningful day for all of southeastern Minnesota. It’s the embodiment of our mission to serve Minnesota Veterans and their families with the benefits they’ve earned.”

In addition to Preston, MDVA opened two other Minnesota Veterans Homes – one in Montevideo and the other in Bemidji – earlier this year. Minnesota is the only state in the nation to ever build and open three Veterans Homes at one time. The three new Homes will allow Minnesota to serve almost 200 more Veterans needing skilled nursing care as they age.

Wold Architects and Engineers, a St. Paul-based architectural and engineering firm with health care and senior living design expertise, led the designs. The Home centers around a residential skilled care model and embodies the principles of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) small house design guide.

“We are honored to be a part of a project that gives back to those who have risked their lives for our country,” says Sara Malin, Principal at Wold Architects and Engineers. “After meeting with the local Veterans to understand what is unique to their community, we landed on a design that encourages community use and has space for large family visits, a unique aspect to the family structures of the Veterans that live in this region.”

Groundbreaking for the Preston Veterans Home took place in August 2021 for the 54-bed skilled nursing facility which is located on a 15-acre bluff-top site surrounded by a 200-year-old native white oak forest.

The Home includes all private residential units and baths that are split into three, 18-Resident “households,” providing a more homelike atmosphere. There are numerous windows throughout the facility to bring in natural light. Public spaces include a Town Center featuring a small coffee shop, meeting room, family dining room, meditation room and club room.

To be accepted for admission, Residents must be:

• Discharged under honorable conditions from any branch of the U.S. armed forces and a current resident of Minnesota, who served 181 consecutive days on active duty, unless discharged earlier because of disability incurred in the line of duty.
• The spouse of an eligible Veteran who is at least 55 years old and meets residency requirements.
• Able to demonstrate a medical or clinical need for skilled nursing care.

County Veterans Service Officers are available to assist future Residents with the admission application process. Admissions inquiries can also be emailed to NewHomesAdmissions@state.mn.us.

To learn more about joining the employee team and working with Veterans in Preston, visit /mdva/about/work-for-mdva/index.jspMinnesotaVeteran.org/Careers.

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About MDVA
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is a cabinet-level state agency dedicated to serving Minnesota Veterans and their families. In addition to overseeing the five State Veterans Homes, MDVA helps eligible Veterans and families secure state and federal benefits and provides programs and services relating to higher education, benefits, burial, claims, outreach and Veterans employment. Veterans and their families are encouraged to visit www.MinnesotaVeteran.org or call 1-(888)-LinkVet for more information about benefits.