A robust military construction mission at the U.S. Military Academy, along the banks of the Hudson River at West Point, N.Y., is being conducted by the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide more modern academic and living space for cadets.
USACE said June 27 in a news release on its website that the work, when completed, will maintain the standards of excellence the Academy is known for: preparing future leaders for America's challenges in the years' ahead.
"The work at West Point is a critical component of our military construction mission," noted Col. Matthew Luzzatto, commander of USACE's New York District. "A dedicated team of professionals ─ including personnel at the West Point Area Office on campus ─ are overseeing the work, ensuring projects are completed on time and [within] budget. We're proud to be serving our nation in this capacity."
Following are the five projects currently being built by the Corps of Engineers:
- Cyber Engineering & Academic Center — A $217 million project, West Point's Cyber Engineering and Academic Center (CEAC) is planned as a four-story academic building suited to train and equip future officers to confront the increasingly technological challenges of peacekeeping. Scheduled for completion in 2025 and focused on innovation and collaboration, the new facility will have 59 unique laboratory spaces, each designed with flexibility and adaptability for future programming to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.
- General Instruction Space — The Academy's Swing Facility is designed to be a temporary 20,000-sq. ft. structure with administrative and collaborative academic space. The USACE said it will be used to provide additional educational space for various departments when renovations are being made to instructional areas. It is part of the 17-year Academic Building Upgrade Program (ABUP) currently designed to renovate seven outdated facilities (some more than a century old) critical to delivering academic and military programs.
- Cadet Barracks — All Army cadet barracks on campus are getting major renovations as part of the West Point Cadet Barracks Upgrade Program (CBUP), through which nine barracks and facilities will be made to look new again. The 10-year effort to modernize all existing cadet barracks will deliver contemporary living facilities that increase space and reduce operating costs. Work has already been completed on seven of the barracks, with the final two still under construction.
- Camp Buckner — Camp Buckner is located several miles from West Point's main campus and serves as a summer training facility for Academy cadets. Work has gotten under way on a five-year renovation of 38 buildings at the site during the summer. The $66 million renovation, expected to be complete in 2026, is part of the West Point Military Complex Development Program to upgrade training areas to allow for year-round cadet training. Built in the late 1940s, the barracks are being renovated to address structural issues, relocate sleeping and bathroom facilities, install heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, and install new windows and roofing. Additional improvements include thermal insulation, plumbing and electrical upgrades, Wi-Fi installation and new fire-suppression and fire-alarm systems.
- Cullum Hall — First constructed in 1896, Cullum Hall was originally designed to memorialize the service and sacrifice of West Point graduates that died in combat. Currently housing the Cadet Hostess and Cadet Clubs, the lower basement levels are being completely redone to serve as the new home for the U.S. Military Academy Archives.
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