OICC Florence Breaks Ground on Four-Year Revitalization Effort

Photo By Lt. James Mixson | Cmdr. Landric Walden, executive officer for Officer in Charge of Construction Florence along with Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point leaders break ground during the P-162 Headquarters Facility groundbreaking ceremony at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, July 26, 2021. P-162 is the first of multiple projects to begin construction to replace facilities damaged by Hurricane Florence. It will provide new facilities for security and emergency services and headquarters for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and Marine Wing Support Squadron 2. The $149 million contract for the construction of the new facilities was awarded to The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. (U.S. Navy photo by OICC Florence Public Affairs)  

NC, UNITED STATES

08.02.2021

Courtesy Story

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic

On Monday July 26, 2021 Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Florence participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new P-162 Squadron Headquarters building at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina. The project is part of Hurricane Florence Military Construction (MILCON) Package 1 and marks the start of a four-year effort to revitalize MCAS Cherry Point.

The project is the first of multiple construction projects to replace facilities damaged by Hurricane Florence and will provide new facilities for security and emergency services and headquarters for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and Marine Wing Support Squadron 2.

Col. Mikel Huber, commanding officer, MCAS Cherry Point, began the ceremony by delivering remarks directed to the Marines and Sailors that will occupy the new facilities when completed.

“This groundbreaking is a symbolic gesture to recognize the initiation of this important project,” said Huber. “We are building these facilities to enable them to execute their mission.”

The commencement of $149 million in military construction projects awarded to The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company in August 2020 will fully replace and improve facilities damaged by Hurricane Florence which made landfall in Eastern North Carolina in September 2018.

Additional projects included under MILCON Package 1 are P-254 Station Academic Facility and Auditorium, P-246 Bombing Target-11 Range Operations Center Replacement, P-142 Fire Stations Replacement, and P-130 Motor T and Communications Shop Replacement. The projects were awarded as “Design-Build” projects and have been in the design phase since initial award.

“For these projects to be planned and awarded this fast is actually a ramped up timeline. From Congress acting quickly to appropriate funding, the Marine Corps, NAVFAC and our partners in Norfolk who awarded these MILCONs,” stated Cmdr. Landric Walden, executive officer for OICC Florence. “The coordinated effort of all stakeholders to get to today’s groundbreaking has been impressive.”

Walden joined Huber, and Aaron Glover, vice president, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, along with tenant representatives to commemorate the event.

P-162 is estimated to be complete by spring of 2023 with subsequent projects estimated to be complete by the fall of 2024.

OICC Florence’s mission is to deliver military construction and minor construction/repair projects enabling the recovery of facilities from the effects of Hurricane Florence at MCB Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station New River and MCAS Cherry Point.

• Date Taken: 08.02.2021
• Date Posted: 08.02.2021 16:26
• Story ID: 402250
• Location: NC, US