Groundbreaking ceremony slated

The ceremony also celebrates the command's first anniversary after reorganizing to be aligned with Commander, Navy Region Southeast by combining its Charleston, S.C. and Jacksonville offices last year as part of the Base Realignment and Closure.

"One of our biggest challenges as we celebrate our first anniversary is filling more than 300 vacancies across the southeast region," said Ralph Kaneshiro, business manager, NAVFAC Southeast.

Construction of the new building will help accommodate more than 350 positions that are moving to the Jacksonville area next year. As part of the realignment, the command has tripled in size bringing its current workforce strength to about 1,800, wherein 680 will be located in the Jacksonville area.

The new building includes a two-story administrative facility with elevator, raised access flooring with under-air distribution and movable wall systems to house engineering and acquisition functions and specialty spaces.

The project also includes renovations to existing space in Building 135 consisting of roofing repairs; interior metal stud and gypsum walls; new interior finishes; additions to the mechanical room for a new unit; and required HVAC (heating, venting and air-conditioning), electrical and mechanical work.

NAVFAC Southeast awarded the $14.6 million contract Jan. 29 to The Haskell Company of Jacksonville for design and construction of the new engineering operations center. Completion of the building is scheduled for the summer of 2008.

NAVFAC Southeast manages the planning, design, construction, contingency engineering, real estate, environmental, and public works support for U.S. Navy shore facilities throughout the southeast.