Photo By Charles Walker | Debris sits at the site of the Federal Emergency Management Agency site following a...... read more read more
MOBILE, Ala. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, announced the successful completion of two major recovery projects for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at their primary Transportable Temporary Housing Units (TTHU) staging site in Selma, Alabama. The projects, a new pre-engineered warehouse and a major roof replacement on the main administrative building, were finished in June and November of 2025, respectively.
The need for these projects arose after an EF-2 tornado struck the Selma area on January 12, 2023, causing significant damage to the FEMA facility. This site is critical to FEMA's mission, serving as the largest staging area for TTHUs, which provide temporary housing for families displaced by disasters. The tornado destroyed two temporary warehouse structures and severely damaged the roof of the main administrative building.
"Our partnership with FEMA is vital, and we are proud to have delivered these critical infrastructure improvements," said Nichole Grunenberg, Mobile District International and Interagency Services project manager. "These projects not only restore the operational capacity of the Selma site but also enhance its resilience against future weather events."
In response to the tornado's devastation, the Mobile District's in-house design team, initially led by architect Rebecca Whiteside, acted quickly. The team developed a Design/Build Request for Proposal (RFP) for a 12,000-square-foot pre-engineered warehouse.
This new structure is built on a solid concrete foundation and designed to withstand wind speeds up to 115 mph, exceeding standard building code requirements and providing FEMA with greater peace of mind.
The contract was awarded to Southeast Cherokee Construction, Inc., a woman-owned small business, on July 25, 2023.
The project, managed by the Construction Division, was completed in just under 23 months and turned over to FEMA on June 10, 2025.
Whiteside, Mobile District Latin America architect and project manager, then in the Engineering Division, said she'll never forget seeing the site of the FEMA warehouse for the first time after the tornado.
"Initially, when I drove through Selma after the tornado, the damage and destruction were very apparent," Whiteside said. "Seeing the site now, compared to then, is incredible and speaks to the Mobile District's ability to respond and react to emergencies and then to deliver the projects to the customer."
The second project involved major roof repairs to FEMA's main administrative building. A team led by Tymon Wallace conducted a site investigation and developed a full design package for the roof replacement. Design for the FEMA Roof Replacement Project began on August 28, 2023, and was completed within seven months, on March 7, 2024.
The construction contract was awarded in May 2024 to Vanguard Pacific Inc., an 8a Contractor. Despite an unforeseen delay due to the existing roof's construction, the contractor completed the project within the 365-day performance period. Construction, which began on November 11, 2024, concluded on September 30, 2025, and the facility was officially handed over to FEMA on November 6, 2025.
The completion of these projects marks a significant milestone in the recovery and fortification of FEMA's essential operations in Selma, ensuring their readiness to respond to future emergencies.
"Completing these projects and delivering them on time to our customer, FEMA, speaks of the teamwork within the District," Grunenberg said. "We all, engineering, construction, and contracting, all of us worked to deliver these important projects to FEMA."
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2026 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 560391 |
| Location: | MOBILE, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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