Army Breaks Ground on First-of-its-kind Barracks

Army Breaks Ground on First-of-its-kind Barracks

Officials break ground on new barracks project at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Photo by: U.S. Army

A new first-of-its-kind barracks building at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is set to break sustainability ground.

“Joint Base Lewis-McChord is committed to providing modern and high-quality living quarters for all of our enlisted personnel, so we are particularly excited about this new construction,” Col. Kent Park, the garrison commander, said in an Army Corps of Engineers news release.

The 89,000-square-foot barracks will be made of sustainable building materials to reduce its carbon footprint and improve quality of life for 168 soldiers at the installation. Officials also are seeking to lower utility and operating costs and enhance the facility’s resilience to extreme weather.

The $100 million barracks construction project is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, and it will include two- and four-bedroom units with shared kitchens and living areas.

The pilot is part of the Army’s wider investment in quality-of-life initiatives for soldiers and their families, including prioritizing $3 billion for family and privatized housing across 50 Army installations, streamlining hiring at child care development centers and increasing enlistment bonuses, among others.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord was selected for the Sustainable Building Material Pilot program out of 130 Army installations. The barracks is expected to be ready for occupancy in late 2027.

“Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a sustainability leader, and it’s an honor we’ve been selected for the sustainable materials pilot program. This supports the DoD and the Army’s climate resiliency strategy with this new barracks construction,” Park said.

Investing in quality barracks enables soldier quality of life, Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, deputy commanding general of I Corps, said during the barracks groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 7.

“We’re here today to improve the quality of life for our soldiers, whose service and sacrifice represent the best of us,” he said. “Our soldiers deserve the best, and this project is yet another step to ensuring they have it.”