News

Demolition of 232 base housing units underway

  • Published
  • By Amber Baillie
  • Academy Spirit staff writer
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Demolition of 18 housing units in Douglass Valley and 214 housing units in Pine Valley commenced last week and is expected to continue through November.

The removal of Units 4700 A, B, and D in Douglass Valley began Feb. 7 and the demolition of units in the lower area of Douglas Valley and Pine Valley are to follow.

"A restructure deal recently transferred these 232 units to be demolished back to the Air Force to assist with resource limitations and expediting the reduction to the end-state number," said Keith Butala, the 10th Civil Engineer Squadron deputy civil engineer.

In 2007, 1,207 housing units here were transferred to a housing privatization contractor, the U.S. Air Force Academy Military Communities, with the goal of renovating and building some new units and demolishing units.

Prior to the housing privatization effort, a housing market analysis was performed recommending housing units here be reduced from 1,207 to 427 total units, Butala said.

"The reduction is due to the decrease in Academy personnel plus the inventory available in the community," he said.

Russell Hume, a mechanical engineer with the Academy's Directorate of Installations, was the housing privatization manager from 2005-2008. In 2013, he worked on the restructure of deal.

"By the Academy taking back 232 units and demolishing them, the deal's financial health has increased," he said. "This will allow the privatization project owner to provide a new
community center facility. It also clears the old houses, increasing the appeal of the area."

Butala said housing privatization provides military families access to safe, secure, quality, affordable and well-maintained housing.

"Privatization also accelerates housing improvements, alleviates housing shortages, and reduces waiting times for adequate housing, ultimately improving morale of Air Force personnel," he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is managing the contract with Leebcor as the prime contractor performing the abatement and demolition work.

"We understand the sensitive nature of this project and we will ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state and Academy regulations," said Peter Sturdivant, resident engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resident office here, and administrative contracting officer for the project.

According to Butala, there are currently 635 occupied units at the Academy and all units being demolished are vacant.

"Any resident in these houses was relocated on base, allowed to move off base prior to, or shortly after, commence of the housing privatization effort," he said.

The substandard homes were built in 1958 and 1959 and are the oldest housing units on the installation.

"These abandoned housing units have been falling into disrepair," Sturdivant said. "Our efforts will remove hazardous materials, demolish the unsightly and in some cases unsafe structures, and return the area to a more natural state. The end result will be a more safe and natural environment for residents and visitors alike."

Butala said demolition of the houses will rid the eyesore of the substandard vacant homes intermingled with occupied units, as well as rid places for rodents.

"Removal of these houses will also restore the area back to as near pristine natural green space as possible," he said.

Demolition in Pine Valley will begin after Leebcor completes more sampling to satisfy the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment environmental requirements, Butala said.

"I anticipate this to occur in the next couple to few months," he said.

Along with the demolition of 232 units by the Academy, the housing project owner will demolish 66 units starting in the summer time- frame, Hume said.

"Nearly 300 units will be cleared away, mainly in Pine Valley, that will significantly enhance the natural beauty of the area," he said.