McClellan Training Center to get new barracks in $31 modernization project
Aug. 4—Construction crews broke ground on new barracks at Fort McClellan Training Center last week, the start of a $31 million modernization project.
The new construction will replace 15 World War II-era barracks and facilities with three two-story barracks, two single-story barracks, two dining halls, two company administration buildings and a battalion headquarters building, totaling 107,812 square feet, according to a news release from the Alabama National Guard. Amenities will include wi-fi, better heating and cooling, laundry facilities and plenty of recreational space for off-duty hours. The project will take about two-and-a-half years to complete. Some of the older barracks were taken down in the last month, though service members in training will still have other lodgings at the training center.
"The fact the construction is only taking place now is an indication of how well the barracks have been cared for over the years," said Sandra Lucas, the Alabama National Guard's deputy director for public affairs, by phone Wednesday. "The soldiers clean every time they leave, repairs are always made and maintenance helps the buildings last longer."
Better accommodations are one goal in the project, but the newer buildings should cost less to maintain and less to heat and cool, Lucas said.
She also noted that there had been a show of public support for the updates since they were announced last week, some of which came from former trainees at the site.
"We noticed a good bit of traffic on social media from soldiers, airmen and marines saying, 'I stayed back there way back when,'" Lucas recalled. "It's more than just buildings; there's a whole sense of pride associated with it."
