Fort Bennings growth

[ATLman1]

Gateway to post planned:

'Iron Mike' and 'Old Bill' would adorn I-185 exit

Fort Benning Gateway

This looks really cool.

[krazeeboi]

Here's an article in USA Today about the influx of residents related to Fort Benning.

[ATLman1]

New McGraw Manor rises

McGraw Village Center holds ceremony today

Almost 16 months after a wrecking ball destroyed the first of 800 housing units at Fort Benning's 50-year-old McGraw Manor, a new McGraw is rising from the red clay off Custer Road.

Though the builder, Clark Realty, is barely one-third of its way to constructing 600 new single family homes on the 250-acre site, it has completed work on the new McGraw Village Center and will hold a special ribbon-cutting ceremony there today.

It will have a community pool, splash pad, workout center, TV room and recreation hall.

The area containing the Village Center, which is directly across Custer Road from McBride Elementary School, will in all likelihood feature a stand-alone Starbucks and a day spa.

The Village, which was the first of the Fort Benning housing areas to be razed in a 10-year, $858 million project, will eventually include 600 homes on three terrace levels that would sell on the local market between $150,000 and $200,000. All will contain between 1,800 and 1,900 square feet of living space with total electric appliances, two-car garages and fenced-in yards.

While work continues at McGraw, construction has already begun at the Patton Village, a 300-acre site west of the Sand Hill area. That neighborhood will eventually include 800 homes.

In the years to come, Clark will raze more than 2,000 homes, construct 2,300 new ones and renovate 1,560 homes, most of historic significance.

[aboutmetro]

Gateway to post planned:

'Iron Mike' and 'Old Bill' would adorn I-185 exit

Fort Benning Gateway

This looks really cool.

Is this what all the clearing along I-185 is down there, or is that something else?

[aboutmetro]

Has anyone heard any more recent news about timelines for the move. I've heard a couple of builders grumbling about how the Chamber got everyone all whipped up and more new houses were built for the market than needed. Because it seemed like BRAC was coming tomorrow. Now, of course, everyone know's its not immediate, but when? Are they held up because of the surge or what?

[ATLman1]

Is this what all the clearing along I-185 is down there, or is that something else?

I saw that too last weekend. That is all being cleared for the additional north and south bound lanes on I-185. Also, DOT is completely redoing the I-185/Victory Drive interchange with new bridges. It should be very interesting to see this when it is completed.

Has anyone heard any more recent news about timelines for the move. I've heard a couple of builders grumbling about how the Chamber got everyone all whipped up and more new houses were built for the market than needed. Because it seemed like BRAC was coming tomorrow. Now, of course, everyone know's its not immediate, but when? Are they held up because of the surge or what?

BRAC won't kick in until 2008. A lot of home builders have built way too much too fast. BRAC officially starts in 2008 and will be complete by 2011.

[gah]

Has anyone heard any more recent news about timelines for the move. I've heard a couple of builders grumbling about how the Chamber got everyone all whipped up and more new houses were built for the market than needed. Because it seemed like BRAC was coming tomorrow. Now, of course, everyone know's its not immediate, but when? Are they held up because of the surge or what?

Time line keeps being pushed back -- now completion not slated until 2011. Gradual 3-year buildup beginning next year. Holdup is redtape (environmental impact statements, etc).

[aboutmetro]

Time line keeps being pushed back -- now completion not slated until 2011. Gradual 3-year buildup beginning next year. Holdup is redtape (environmental impact statements, etc).

That's the last I heard too. Deafening silence when you ask any officials... Thanks. Please post any updates you hear of.

[ATLman1]

I read this in Columbus and the Valley magazine. BRAC is expected to create 32,985 new residents of which 75% (24,739) will reside in Columbus. From the population boom, an estimated 12,286 indirect jobs will be created. This is BRAC alone. This does not include Aflac, Kia, other industries that are expanding, and normal population/job growth.

[suburbs]

Time line keeps being pushed back -- now completion not slated until 2011. Gradual 3-year buildup beginning next year. Holdup is redtape (environmental impact statements, etc).

My husband is stationed at Benning....I have heard the BRAC relocations will be complete by 2012. But you know how things can change!!

[gah]

My husband is stationed at Benning....I have heard the BRAC relocations will be complete by 2012. But you know how things can change!!

Yes -- plans do have a way of changing -- especially when the government is involved. My understanding is that BRAC will start to kick in 2008, continue thru 2011, and therefore be competed by 2012. Guess we will have to wait and see. The new timetable has caused a slow down -- everyone was ramping up expecting BRAC to be in full swing by end of this year. thus, there was overbuilding and too much hype. Housing is S-l-o-w. those who waited to buy were wise -- can get some real bargains.

[mitchella81]

The Brac numbers are in the troops aredue to start arriving and continue until sept. 2011 Local Fox affliate WXTX reports the numbers will be near 37,000 by sept. 11, 2007 with the first 3000 coming in 2009

[ATLman1]

Benning opens $1.2M center for injured

Soldier and Family Assistance Center offers one-stop facility to assist troops

The 6,000-square-foot center will provide financial, educational and legal advice to those now attached to the Warrior Transition Battalion. The center, which also includes game rooms, a 10-station computer lab and TV room, is located in the heart of the Warrior Transition Battalion housing area near Infantry Hall.

[ATLman1]

46,000 by 2013, that's the projected size of Fort Benning's work force after BRAC and "Grow the Army" are complete

Fort Benning is projected to have a combined military and civilian work force of more than 41,600 by the time the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act and the recently introduced "Grow the Army" initiative are completed by 2013.

That's an increase of almost 13,000 personnel over the pre-BRAC figure of 28,800, fueled primarily by the upcoming arrival of the Armor School and Center from Fort Knox, Ky.

And that number doesn't include spouses and children of those new permanent party personnel. Nor does it include the more than 100,000 soldiers who train here on an annual basis.

Those figures could have been a whole lot higher had the Army decided to station one of the six new brigades it will form up over the next couple years at Fort Benning.

"We were certainly one of the posts considered to house a new brigade," said Fort Benning's BRAC coordinator Jay Brown.

But when the announcement was made Dec. 19, the new brigades were targeted for 3rd Infantry Division headquarters at Fort Stewart, Ga., and at Fort Carson, Colo., and Fort Bliss, Texas.

It's all part of the Army's decision to add 74,200 troops to the force, including 65,000 active duty soldiers, by 2010.

"It's the largest transformational change since 1942," said the Army's vice chief of staff Gen. Richard Cody. "We're changing the footprint of the Army to make it more agile and more expeditionary."

That's not to say Benning will see no gains out of the "Grow the Army" decision. While Fort Stewart will add about 8,000 soldiers to its personnel roster, Fort Benning was credited with a growth of 45 personnel.

Brown, who has been involved in the BRAC process since it was announced, said that figure is a bit misleading.

"Those soldiers are going to our deployable units," he said. "There's nothing in there about adding people to the new Armor/Infantry Center,"

But think about it, Brown said. "With all these new soldiers coming aboard over the next couple of years, where do you think they will be trained?"

For infantry soldiers, the answer is pretty clear: Fort Benning.

"And that means we will be be adding an additional basic training battalion on Sand Hill," he added. As many as 10,000 more soldiers could be trained here every year.

Though he could not provide an exact number of personnel in such a battalion, he suggests the total could exceed 200 new officers and enlisted soldiers.

Brown also clarified the size of the proposed growth of the Army.

"While the idea is to increase the size of the active Army by 65,000, from 482,000 to 547,000, the fact is that 30,000 of the soldiers are already aboard under a temporary strength increase," he said.

A large number of those enlistees will, of course, train here.

Although Fort Benning did not land one of the six new brigade combat teams that either will be started at or restationed to stateside posts, it was on the Army's short list.

"I can't really tell you why we were not chosen," said Brown.

He makes it clear that the BRAC decision, which transfers the Armor School and Center from Fort Knox to Fort Benning, forming with the Infantry Center and School into what will be called the Maneuver Center of Excellence, and the "Grow the Army" program are not related.

While the post will have to add an additional basic training battalion to Sand Hill sometime in the next five years, work will begin soon on $350 million worth of construction on the Harmony Church area, paving way for the arrival of the Armor folks.

"We have a major ground-breaking ceremony set for Feb. 12," he said, pointing at a map of Benning. Barracks, a dining facility and administrative facilities will be the first items constructed.

The $130 million renovation of Infantry Hall could begin as early as this spring.

"We'll be closing down the six floors of the central tower and that portion of the building will be shut down for two years," Brown said. "Once that renovation is complete, we'll close down the classroom and begin work on them. We are in the process now of finding room on post to be able to send all of the people who work here now."

[ATLman1]

Reality of BRAC sets in

Knox, Benning and engineering officials break ground on Armor School barracks

"I've been looking forward to this day since taking command," said Fort Benning commander Maj. Gen. Walt Wojdakowski on Tuesday afternoon, when the Army's Infantry and Armor branches joined hands to form what will be called the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

While ground was broken on what will become the barracks complex for Armor School trainees, a few miles away work began on the clearing of land for the building of the Armor's basic training facilities on Sand Hill.

"There's still a lot of hard work to be done," said Brig. Gen. Donald Campbell, commander of the Armor School and Center at Fort Knox, Ky. "But this is an exciting day. It starts the process."

The Base Realignment and Closure decision of May 2005 directed the Army to relocate the Armor School from Knox to Benning and merge it with the Infantry Center.

"Three years and $2 billion from now, this very spot will be the center of the new Armor School," said Wojdakowski, who with Campbell serves on the Maneuver Center's board of directors. "It will totally transform this part of the post."

Under the BRAC mandate, the Armor Center must be operational no later than Sept. 15, 2011.

The Harmony Church barracks complex, which Wojdakowski called "hallowed ground for tankers," will be connected to training facilities across U.S. 27 by a walking bridge, said Jay Brown, Benning's BRAC coordinator. "Their motor pool will be right across the highway. It's all going to be quite convenient for the soldiers."

The building of the barracks complex is a joint venture between Bethesda, Md.-based Clark Construction Group and Montgomery, Ala.-based Caddell Construction. LS3P Associates of Charlotte, N.C., is the design engineer on the project. Each was represented at the groundbreaking.

"Finally, our dreams have become a reality," said Clark's CEO Sidney Jordan as he presented Campbell, Wojdakowski and Brig. Gen. Joe Schroedel of the Army Corps of Engineers with scale models of the complex.

It will be two years before Columbus and the surrounding area sees a population explosion at the post. But now that the construction process has begun, things at the Home of the Infantry will never again be the same.

Wojdakowski insisted that the "marriage" between the two combat arms shouldn't be that surprising.

"I don't know of a single infantryman who would ever want to go onto a battlefield without a tank on his side; and I can't think of a single tanker who wouldn't want his flank protected by a squad of infantrymen," he said.

[ATLman1]

Builders keep pace for completion date

The Fort Benning structure is set to open in March 2009

If you're invited to tour the construction site of the National Infantry Center and Soldier Center at Patriot Park, a note of caution: Wear your boots and old clothes.

"We've had a lot of rain so far this year," said Chuck Williams, the project manager for West Point, Ga.-based Batson-Cook, as visitors tip-toed through mud surrounding the outside of the 185,000-square-foot main building. Truckloads of dirt have been trucked onto the site to cover most of the muddy areas.

"The good news is that we got a lot of work done last year while the area was under drought conditions," he said. "Once we got the roof on, we were able to really start working inside."

While much progress has been achieved at the site, where the first shovels of dirt were dug in September 2004, the new museum won't be open to the public until next March.

Preliminary estimates had called for a November opening.

Up to 130 skilled laborers are hammering away in every corner of the building, from the main rotunda to the Fort Benning gallery, and from the 300-seat IMAX theater to the Grand Hall, where seating will be available to 500 people.

Already moved in are a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which sits atop a ramp off the terrazo flooring of the main lobby, and a Huey helicopter, which hangs 12 feet off the ground in what will be a special Vietnam gallery.

Trees have been removed on museum property between South Lumpkin Road and Benning Boulevard to make way for a 1,000-car parking lot.

"We're putting in drainage now before we start on paving the lot," said Williams, whose company was responsible for building the new Columbus Library and Columbus State University's Performing Arts Center.

Making progress

The main entrance into the museum area will be off Benning Boulevard. "The access off South Lumpkin will be for deliveries and employees only," Williams added.

A large portion of the parade field, which will be nestled between the museum and the restored World War II Company Street, has already been leveled off.

Much of the exterior work, which consists of brick and granite, could be completed within the next few weeks, Williams said. Wall framing and drywall are going up in most of the major galleries, which include Infantry participation in the Revolutionary and Civil wars, World Wars I and II, the Cold War (Korea and Vietnam) and the Desert Wars.

By next month, the installation of heating and cooling, electrical systems and sprinklers will be complete, preparing many of the galleries for exhibit fabrication.

And what museum would be complete without a restaurant, a gift shop and dozens of interactive displays?

Certainly not this one.

The offices of the National Infantry Foundation, headed by chairman Jerry White and executive director Ben Williams, will be located in the museum. That group has raised more than $78 million of its $91 million goal.

In the future, the Armor Center will be raising money to build a museum of its own. That would be built on land adjacent to Patriot Park, near the main entrance to post.

[Southron]

Good to see that museum construction is moving along. Here are a couple of links with renderings of the museum:

National Infantry Foundation: Museum plans

.pdf from project architects: National Infantry Museum

[mitchella81]

NEW INFO ON FT. BENNING BRAC AND DEVELOPMENTS.

The Following Image is a artist rendering of FT. Bennings New Infantry Hall

News Three has learned some new information about Base Realignment and Closure or BRAC and how it will affect our area.

On Tuesday, May 6th Fort Benning

[mitchella81]

Latest BRAC numbers Released And Fort Benning to Get a new hospital

Benning has released the latest BRAC growth numbers for the base as well as it has been revealed that a new Martin Army Community Hospital will be built near the existing tower. Below is a story from the Columbus Ledger Enquier

Some of the civilian staff may not move when the Armor Center and School relocates from Fort Knox, Ky., Maj. Gen. Walter Wojdakowski told city officials Tuesday.

During a monthly work session of Columbus Council, the commander of the Infantry School at Fort Benning also said $507 million is programmed for a new hospital to replace Martin Army Community Hospital.

Wojdakowski, who will give up his command on Nov. 18 to Maj. Gen. Michael Barbero and leave the Army by Jan. 1, said growth from the Base Realignment and Closure plans to move the Armor Center to Fort Benning is about 30,000 people, creating the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

"The soldiers, they are coming," the commander said. "They get orders, they are going to move."

Wojdakowski noted that the civilian workers who serve in the commissary or fix equipment would not have to move. "They live there so we are working to provide incentives, but some are not going to come," he said.

The center will be fully operational by Sept. 15, 2011. A breakdown of the BRAC growth estimates show that the total includes 4,712 soldiers, 1,889 civilians and 4,802 contractors for a total of 11,403 staff personnel. Spouses and children would add another 16,685 people for total growth of 28,088.

Some of the personnel for the center may come from this area. They may need training on how to maintain an MI tank or how to maintain tracks, the commander said.

Funding is secured for a new hospital to replace Martin Army, the general said. It will be located adjacent to the current building. The number of beds is still being worked out and the design is not complete, he said. "It will have enough beds to suit growth and population at Fort Benning."

Martin Army is the second oldest hospital in the Army behind the one at Fort Belvoir, Va. The hospital on post has problems with plumbing, and staff can't adjust the heating and air conditioning in individual rooms.

Col. John Gaal, deputy commander for administration at the hospital, said Tuesday a design-build contractor probably will be selected next summer. The new hospital will be completed by 2013, he said.

"Nothing from the old hospital will carry over," Gaal said. "It's all new."

At Lawson Army Airfield, Wojdakowski said there may be growth opportunities there too. The airport is underutilized and there are possibilities for freight to be transported.

Before leaving the council chambers, Wojdakowski was presented a plaque from Mayor Jim Wetherington. The general presented the mayor a statue of "Iron Mike," the figure in front of the Infantry Center.

He also gave each councilor a "Follow Me" pin.

Photos of the current Martin Army Community Hospital

[Columbus1984]

New Reception Center Breaks Ground

A new facility is currently in the works. It will be almost 200,000 square feet. It'll include barracks, a dining facility, and a fitness center. Sounds like a huge project.

[aboutmetro]

I'm seeing a lot of Kentucky License plates around town. I've seen Hardin County tags, which is a rural county just south of Ft Knox, but with good Interstate Access (I-65). Anyone seen any other counties? Particularly interested in any Jefferson County (Louisville) tags.

[Columbus1984]

Fort Benning Opens Child Care Facility

Fort Benning celebrated Wednesday the grand opening of its $6.7 million School Age Services facility on Ingersoll Street.

The new child care facility is one of the first of Fort Benning's completed Base Realignment and Closure projects built in support of Army families. Construction began in April 2008 and was completed May 1. The facility opened its doors on Aug. 7.

[aboutmetro]

New $333 Million Fort Benning Hospital being built to replace Martin Army and handle new soldiers from BRAC. Story here.

[aboutmetro]

The fuzzy picture that was first announced five years ago is beginning to clear. Though it didn't happen on the original time-line the Chamber had hoped (pushing local builders to get out on a limb), the population does seem to finally be on the horizon. The Summer of 2010 is being reported by Army officials as D-day. .

Fleet Management Division

In any case, the Columbus region will be a different place after 2011. This article in the Army Time on 10/5 seems to be reporting different numbers than have been reported in local media. Still, a pretty big impact.

[aboutmetro]

This news report on WTVM doesn't tell the whole story. September will be reported in the November Toolbox (GCHBA's newsletter), but in past ones, they've reported that between 50 & 70% of all new home sales - and permits - are happening on the Alabama side of the Chattahoochee. This news story does beg the question, why is Channel 9 the only local station reporting it? Do the other ones only report BAD local news?