Officials move shovels full of dirt for construction of the new, nearly 59,000-square-foot Weapons Storage and Inspection Facility during a groundbreaking ceremony aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Nov. 23. From left: Navy Lt. Jose Centenorosado, director, Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division, MCLB Albany; Maj. Gen. Craig C. Crenshaw, (second from left) commanding general, Marine Corps Logistics Command; Col. James C. Carroll III (third from left), commanding officer, MCLB Albany; and Kevin Murphy, vice president, Gulf-Hernandez Joint Venture.

Photo by Nathan L. Hanks Jr.

Groundbreaking marks construction of new weapons storage and inspection facility

25 Nov 2015 | Nathan L. Hanks Jr. Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany

November 25, 2015 -- Officials from Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Marine Corps Logistics Command, Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division, MCLB Albany and Gulf-Hernandez Joint Venture marked the beginning of construction for a new Weapons Storage and Inspection Facility during a groundbreaking ceremony, here, Nov. 23.

The nearly 59,000-square foot, single-story facility is estimated to cost more than $13.5 million, according to Col. James C. Carroll III, commanding officer, MCLB Albany, and keynote speaker.

“It is an honor to be standing here today, breaking ground on this facility, which will serve as a new, state-of-the-art Weapons Storage and Inspection Facility for our primary tenant, Marine Corps Logistics Command,” Carroll said. “The capabilities provided by and through this groundbreaking and follow-on construction, will directly and positively impact our warfighters around the globe.

“(This project will) allow for a safer, more efficient and secure, as well as code compliant and climate-controllable building to store and inspect critical weaponry essential to the warfighter's success,” he added.

This facility, once complete, will meet the Department of Defense energy goals and mandates, according to Carroll.

“The National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 requires DOD bases to produce or procure 50 percent of total energy needs from renewably energy sources and this building will certainly do that,” he said.

Carroll extended a special thanks to Maj. Gen. Craig C. Crenshaw, commanding general, LOGCOM; Michael T. Madden, executive deputy, LOGCOM; Brig. Gen. Thomas D. Weidley, commander, Marine Corps Installations East, and MCLB Albany’s Installation and Environment Division representatives, who attended the ceremony.

“Without this collaborative effort, we would not be breaking ground today and starting construction on this facility,” Carroll said.

Navy Lt. Jose Centenorosado, director, FEAD, MCLB Albany, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony.

“This project was awarded in November 2015 and the completion date is scheduled for December 2016,” Centenorosado said. “It’s a pleasure to be a part of the team and the base action to move forward to getting the new facilities they need.”