The proposed $188 million expansion of Brocktons VA hospital is on hold until federal officials approve the projects next phase.

The federal government has already approved $24 million to be spent on the design of the proposed 96-bed, long-term spinal cord injury unit and renovation of the old complex at the Brockton VA hospital, federal budget documents show.

Designers at the Boston architectural firm Payette finalized preliminary design documents for the project last September after a year of work. But the project will not move forward until federal approval of the next step creating construction documents.

We need to be authorized to do the construction documents before they can build it, said Kevin Sullivan, principal at Payette.

Payette has collaborated with the VA Boston Healthcare System on more than 50 projects over the last few years.

Sullivan, the Brockton projects principal in charge, said hes excited to see the spinal cord injury unit move forward. I dont think Ive ever worked on a project that could have more of an impact on peoples daily lives, Sullivan said.

The Brockton campus of the VA Boston Healthcare System, 940 Belmont St., received $24 million in 2009 for the designing of a two-part project: building the new building and renovating the existing spinal cord injury unit to be used for a mental health.

The construction documents will take a year to complete, and designers believe that 2016 is the earliest the spinal cord injury building could open.

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Brockton VA’s spinal cord unit waiting for key approval

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