MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- The station opened its newest barracks lauded for being a first in enegry-efficient design for Yuma during a ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 4, 2009.
The new barracks, building 860, will house sergeants and below from Marine Air Control Squadron 1, as well as Combat Logistics Company 16 and Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1. The approximately 200 new residents will begin moving in Jan. 4, 2010.
Barracks 860 was designed to compensate for the recent personnel addition to MACS-1. With the squadron’s new detachment, the station didn’t have enough living quarters for its single Marines, said Capt. John Jedra, installation and logistics deputy director. To prepare for this increase, the station began construction on a new barracks in October 2008.
With approximately 69,000 square feet and 150 rooms, the nearly $22 million barracks will allow noncommissioned officer residents to have a room to themselves, said Jedra.
“Pretty much everyone is really excited to move,” said Cpl. Raul Molina, MACS-1 radar maintainer. “The corporals are especially excited because they’ll get their own rooms.”
Additionally, each room includes a bathroom with dual sinks and is wired for high-speed Internet, telephone and cable, said Jedra.
The building also features a consolidated laundry room with 20 washers and 38 dryers, as well as a kitchenette, lounge area, and classroom/home theater room.
The building is also more energy efficient than its predecessors.
“This building will be (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certified and will be the first certified building on station,” said Jedra. “It is in keeping with the presidential order to increase energy efficiency for all government facilities.”
The LEED Silver rating means the building’s construction was environmentally friendly and the building itself is energy efficient. To do this, the building was constructed using many recycled materials and features additional insulation, water-efficient plumbing and landscaping, and energy-efficient lighting and equipment.
“It was not required of the project to meet the silver rating,” said Mark DeWald, station architect. “We reached that level through good design and good construction.”
According to Jedra, barracks 860 will also be the first here to employ the bachelor quarters residential tracking system, which is a Web-based system that allows barracks managers to track which rooms specific pieces of furniture and residents are assigned to.
“I hope the Marines enjoy their new barracks,” said Jedra. “It is definitely a step up from their current living conditions.”