ST. CLOUD -- Residential veterans at the St. Cloud VA will soon be served their meals in a new state-of-the-art building.

The St. Cloud VA held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday for their new Residential Dining Facility (Building 118).

Joyce Mauel is the Director of Nutrition and Food Service. She says the building will enhance the care and living environment for their Veterans.

"It's a more private, beautiful space for them to relax and enjoy there food. The serving line is beautiful for our Veterans to come through and I'm sure they will enjoy our food even more in this space."

The over 20,000 square-foot building provides a larger dining room, modern equipment, and larger food preparation area to serve over 1200 daily meals to Veterans.

Mauel says their employees will be in a short transition period before they will be fully operational in the new space.

"I would say Mid-October before we are fully in here. We've already done a lot of training with our employees with the new equipment."

The new facility replaces the current dining and kitchen built in 1923.

St. Cloud VA Director Stephen Black says once the transition is complete they will begin renovating the current dining and kitchen building into more clinical space for Veterans.

More From AM 1240 WJON