The idea of relocating McGuire Veterans Hospital adjacent to the Medical College of Virginia is not new. It has been considered by the Veterans Administration and MCV for a number of years. In 1964, the General Assembly passed a bill authorizing MCV to convey a certain parcel of land for this purpose; however, the site was unsuitable. In 1970, a similar bill was introduced but this bill named no particular site, leaving the specific site to be worked out in negotiations between MCV and the Veterans Administration. After some last minute opposition developed, the General Assembly created a commission to review the question and make a recommendation pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 65.

Pursuant to the Resolution, the Governor appointed to the Commission Carl E. Bain, member of' the House of Delegates, Richmond; Richard F. Bates, Senior Vice-President of the Bank of Virginia, Richmond; Thomas P. Bryan, Vice-President and Secretary of Miller & Rhoads, Richmond; Newman Hamblet, Senior Vice-President of Thalhimers, Richmond; and J. Randolph Perrow, Manager of Area Development for the Virginia Electric and Power Company, Richmond. The Speaker of the House of Delegates appointed from the membership of the House George W. Jones, Chesterfield; Edward E. Lane, Richmond; L. Cleaves Manning, Portsmouth. The Lieutenant Governor appointed from the membership of the Senate Robert S. Burruss, Jr., Lynchburg, and Omer L. Hirst, Annandale.

The Commission elected Richard F. Bates, Chairman and Thomas P. Bryan, Vice-Chairman.

The Commission conducted its study of the advisability and feasibility of the proposed transfer by conferring with officials of McGuire Hospital as to its patients, facilities, needs and views concerning the relocation. A tour of McGuire Hospital was taken. The Commission then obtained information from Virginia Commonwealth University and MCV. as to where a veterans hospital could be built, whether sufficient parking could be provided, what benefits or detriments to MCV might be expected from the move, etc.

On September 22, 1970, a public hearing was held at which the Commission heard the views of many officials of the Veterans Administration, McGuire Hospital, VCU-MCV, the city of Richmond and other interested_ groups and civic organizations. Also heard were the views of many veterans, some of whom represented the several veterans' organizations. All seemed to favor a move of McGuire to the vicinity of MCV except the veterans (principally the spinal cord injury patients) who, for the most part, seemed fearful of losing adequate parking facilities and the open spaces available at McGuire. As a result of this hearing and the objections expressed, the Commission met with officials of the city of Richmond, MCV and their planning and traffic consultants to explore the questions raised at the earlier hearing and to answer additional questions from members of the Commission. A model of the proposed master plan for MCV was examined and discussed.