Upon receiving a nearly $12 million grant, construction of the Fort McCoy's Brigade Headquarters began the previous year and is now at 94% completion. This building will house support services and amenities for military personnel's classes and outdoor training and is anticipated to be finished earlier this year.
Current Update on Fort McCoy's Brigade Headquarters
On Jun. 9, 2022, the agreement to work on the project, worth almost $12 million in total, was given, and the building process started in August of that same year. As of now, February 2024 remains the designated date for contract completion.
At the beginning of June, the project had reached a completion rate of 40 %, and by the beginning of October, it had reached an 80% completion rate. According to Green's weekly update on Dec. 8, the project is currently at 94% total completion. The work now being done includes:
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Finishing the interior.
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Working on the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
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Finishing the exterior.
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Continuing to connect the solar panels.
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Other forms of wrap-up labor.
Master Planner Brian Harrie, who works for the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW), mentioned that this project is the first of three planned renovations for brigade headquarters buildings.
Two of the barracks buildings have already been finished, and construction on the third one has begun. Additionally, there will be three brigade headquarters buildings that are 20,000 square feet and two officer quarters that are 160 rooms.
Cost savings are reportedly possible due to the smaller footprint of the brigade headquarters building plan, resulting in a less impervious surface. This, in turn, leads to less stormwater runoff, which, in turn, requires fewer stormwater management systems. Moreover, the floor layout has been modeled on the basic design of the Operational Readiness Training Complex and added square footage has been built into this project to facilitate connectivity to the second story via stairs and elevators.
Thus, Harrie stated that this endeavor is designed to emulate the denser and more consolidated footprints outlined in the Troop Housing Area Development Plan of Fort McCoy. According to this plan, fewer multi-story buildings enable the placement of facilities and functions closer, facilitating a more navigable training environment and reducing utility costs.
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Use of Fort McCoy's Brigade Headquarters
Fort McCoy's Troop Housing Area Development Plan, which strives to create a livelier training environment more conducive to walking, includes all of these improvements to the infrastructure. This strategy also aims to develop a more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable infrastructure by minimizing utility costs.
Accordingly, Fort McCoy is now undertaking a transformational journey, a component of the Army's Installation Management Command. One of these steps is constructing a brand new 28.08 million barracks facility, and an order for its completion was announced on Sept. 26Sept. 26, 2023.
The development progress for the third barracks is now at 1% as of January 2024, and the completion date is anticipated to be Oct. 2. 2, 2025. Furthermore, the Army's dedication to consistently improving the post's infrastructure is demonstrated by this master plan, ensuring that the installation remains an essential asset in the region.
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