The New Central Texas VA Clinic in Copperas Cove: What It Means for Connectivity
Project announced September 2026
What's happening
In September 2026, Cullinan Properties announced that the VA had awarded it the contract to develop, own and lease a new Multi-Specialty Outpatient Clinic at 552 Robert Griffin III Blvd. in Copperas Cove, near Fort Hood. Site work is underway. The two-story building will bring women's health, imaging, dental, endoscopy, primary care, social work, dermatology and cardiology under one roof, and it is positioned to serve up to 250,000 veterans across Central Texas. The team includes Leo A Daly (architecture and design), Hoar Construction (general contractor), Westwood Professional Services (civil) and Lincoln Property Company (property management). Completion is scheduled for September 2028, with first patients expected in January 2029.
Source: Cullinan Properties (September 2026)
What this means for connectivity
A multi-specialty clinic isn't an office with exam rooms. Imaging studies, scheduling, telehealth and records all travel over the network, and a dropped connection means patients wait or get rescheduled. Federal healthcare tenants often have their own network requirements, so coordinate early with the tenant's IT team.
- Diverse primary circuits. Dedicated fiber (DIA), ideally through two building entrances on separate routes. Imaging and records move large files, so size the capacity accordingly.
- An independent failover path. A second fiber route can still share the same streets. A Starlink failover link with automatic switchover keeps check-in, telehealth and clinical apps reachable.
- Structured cabling at clinical density. Exam rooms, carts and badges add up to a lot of drops and Wi-Fi clients. Size the IDF closets with room to grow.
- Voice and life safety. VoIP with accurate E911 location data down to the suite, plus survivable lines for elevators, fire panels and emergency phones.
- Segmentation from day one. Keep clinical devices, building automation, guest Wi-Fi and security on separate segments.
Install considerations & timeline
| Stage | What to settle |
|---|---|
| Site work / foundations | Order primary fiber. Lock in building entrances and conduit routes. |
| Structure / MEP rough-in | Walk pathways and equipment rooms. Pick roof and mount locations. Confirm backup power for network rooms. |
| Pre-turnover | Certify cabling. Set up Wi-Fi, firewall, failover and E911. Run a live cutover test. |
| Turnover / occupancy | Hand over as-builts and labeling. Set up monitoring for both links. |
Related
Starlink for healthcare · Dedicated fiber in Austin · Commercial Starlink installation in Austin · Construction connectivity
Frequently asked questions
Where is the new Central Texas VA clinic being built?
At 552 Robert Griffin III Blvd. in Copperas Cove, Texas, near Fort Hood. The two-story clinic is scheduled for completion in September 2028, with first patients expected in January 2029.
Why does an outpatient clinic need internet failover?
Scheduling, imaging, records and telehealth all depend on the network. Diverse fiber protects against a single cut, but both routes can share local infrastructure. A satellite backup like Starlink doesn't, so clinical apps stay reachable during a carrier outage.
When should connectivity be planned on a new building?
Early, during site work or foundations, because fiber circuits have the longest lead times. Pathways and equipment rooms are easiest to settle by MEP rough-in, and failover should be tested before turnover.
Can Starlink be used as a business internet backup?
Yes. A Starlink terminal connected to a firewall with automatic failover takes over when the primary fiber drops. Because it doesn't share buried infrastructure, it protects against cuts and local carrier outages.
Planning connectivity for a project like this in Copperas Cove?
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