BUTLER TWP — VA Butler Healthcare director David Cord said work on the system’s new health care center in Center Township continues well ahead of schedule, as more details emerged Wednesday regarding the system’s plans once the facility opens sometime later this year.

Cord, in remarks before a small crowd during a town hall-style meeting Wednesday, said the Center Township health care center project continues to be about six months ahead of schedule, and has most of its outside construction work completed at this point.

Contractors will continue on various interior work throughout the winter months, he said, and the system expects to take control of the building, which it is leasing from Cambridge Health Solutions Inc., in late spring or early summer.

Cord called the progress “remarkable for a project of this magnitude,” and said that employees at the system will begin to tour and familiarize themselves with the new facility well in advance of its first day of operations, which has been pegged for the week after Labor Day.

The meeting also included information regarding artwork and images that will be on display within the new center.

VA officials also said the new health care center will include four images honoring each branch of the U.S. military, an image honoring female veterans and at least one image depicting the system’s current campus on New Castle Road in Butler Township.

Cord said there was no new information regarding what might be done with the current campus’ main building, called Building One, once the new health care center is operational. But he said the system continues to seek input from organizations interested in the space and has “already engaged in some conversations” with interested parties.

“I really think the community would like it if something could be made of this building,” Cord said, “so we’re working to make that happen.”

Building One will eventually be completely vacated by the VA as part of its move to the Center Township location, but the New Castle Road campus won’t be abandoned entirely, Cord said. The system intends to keep some of its operations running in Building Two, which is currently being renovated and is expected to have office space, a kitchen facility and the system’s adult day care program, which at one point officials were considering abandoning entirely.

The system also intends to continue running its in-house police, fire and transportation services from the New Castle Road campus, Cord said. Because the system must maintain a police presence at both campuses, it is in the midst of adding nine to 13 new officers to its force, Cord said.

He said the system would continue to host town hall-style meetings focused on the health center even after it opens, to gather feedback on its operations and to address any concerns expressed by residents and veterans.