OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded an $18.8 million contract January 17 to build a brand-new, 120 person dormitory on base.
Construction on the LEED Silver, three-story, 51,150 square foot building is scheduled to begin in June.
“This is a huge win for Team Offutt,” said Col. Marty Reynolds, 55th Wing commander. “Airmen are the backbone of our Air Force and to be able to provide a brand new dormitory for our newest members is just tremendous.”
The new dorms will include 30 module suites. Each one features four bedrooms and four bathrooms each along with a common kitchen and living room space. A washer and dryer are also located in each suite.
“This will improve the quality-of-life for our Airmen in the dormitories,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Morris, 55th Wing command chief. “The design of this facility is state-of-the-art and will be the benchmark for other bases going forward.”
The new dorm will include a full brick exterior from the ground to the roof, which reduces maintenance and has a longer life span than hardboard siding. The look will be consistent with Offutt’s other dormitories.
“The contract also includes a cementitious roof shingle just like the other dorms, which also require less maintenance and provide a longer lifespan,” said Doug Shapland, 55th Civil Engineer Squadron project management element.
Shapland added that the new dorm ties into the existing ground source heat pump system, which has a central mechanical distribution room in the King Dining Facility.
“The system consists of closed loop piping in 323 wells to do heat exchange, either cooling or heating depending on the season,” he said.
In addition to the new dormitory, the contract also calls for a new access road to be built from Airman Drive to the Nelson Drive and SAC Boulevard intersection.
“Accessibility to the dorm complex will be greatly increased with addition of this road,” Morris said. “Team Offutt really hit a homerun with this contract award.”
Construction on the new dormitory is expected to be completed by late February 2019. At that time, the contractors will demolish Whiteman Hall North, the oldest current dormitory still in use. However, its parking lot will be retained so new parking areas will not be required.