Whiteman to receive three new buildings

  • Published
  • By Heidi Hunt
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  By this time next year, Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC, is scheduled to open three new facilities here -- a fitness building complete with an indoor pool, a community office and a maintenance building. The facilities are currently under construction and are ahead of schedule.

The community center was requested by Air Force and Whiteman AFB as part its ongoing commitment to improve the quality of life for Team Whiteman and their families.

An indoor pool in the middle of winter will make exercising and swimming possible year-round which will help supplement other activity centers already on the base, according to Luke LaLiberty, BBC project director. The building will also include a fitness area, restrooms and locker rooms.

"There will be plenty of room for lap swimming for people who are interested in exercise and also offer a floating-play feature, making it useful for children," said Tana Waldren, BBC community manager interim.

"BBC is committed to providing a safe and fun facility," Waldren said. "We also recognize that there are already wonderful activity and fitness centers on base and we encourage Team Whiteman to use those as well."

In addition to the fitness building, the two other buildings will be located nearby and include the community management office, the future home to BBC staff, and the government housing management office, according to LaLiberty.

"The community management office will have several offices, a conference room and a room to greet residents," LaLiberty said.

The maintenance building will be the new location for the self-help store and provide plenty of storage and office space for the facility management team, according to LaLiberty.

"Balfour Beatty Communities is happy to provide the indoor pool and we are excited to move our community management office and maintenance building to the new site," LaLiberty said. "Our aim is for the office and maintenance buildings to function as a consolidated area where residents can have their questions answered, use the self-help store and interact with the community management team.

"The buildings are proceeding nicely ahead of schedule and BBC intends to work through the winter as weather allows," LaLiberty said. "The foundations and slabs are complete and framing is in progress. All of the buildings will have very functional layouts and will serve customers and BBCs team well."

Balfour Beatty Communities' design team is working closely with the Air Force to develop the final approved plans and specifications, according to LaLiberty.

Construction is scheduled to be complete February 2014 and BBC is hoping for an earlier finish, according to LaLiberty.

"Once the buildings are officially operational, a date for a ribbon cutting ceremony will be announced and Team Whiteman will be invited to attend," LaLiberty said.

For more information log on to www.housing.af.mil/whiteman or call BBC at 660-687-0559.

(Editor's note: BBC is scheduled to begin building a multipurpose neighborhood center to include an outdoor splash park this summer. More details will be announced as decisions are made.)