USACE completes, turns over new maintenance hangar at Grissom Air Reserve Base

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District
Published March 10, 2023
USACE completes, turns over new maintenance hangar at Grissom Air Reserve Base

The Grissom Hangar 437 project consisted of an 13,700 square feet expansion and renovation to the existing Nose Dock 5 facility on Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District successfully managed the completion of a new maintenance hangar at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana.

The Grissom Maintenance Hangar 437 project achieved substantial completion March 8, 2023, and was made available for owner use the following day, March 9. The $13 million project provides the 434th Air Refueling Wing with a second fully enclosed hangar.

“Previously, the Wing performed maintenance on the entire KC-135 fleet in five nose docks and one fully enclosed hangar,” said Seth Dow, Louisville District project engineer. “Grissom ARB has a fairly harsh winter climate, so the improved working conditions for airmen maintainers during the winter months will likely improve efficiency of maintenance and training.”

The Grissom Hangar 437 project consisted of an expansion and renovation to the existing Nose Dock 5 facility on Grissom ARB. The expansion, and ultimately enclosure, of the facility provided an additional 13,700 square feet of climate-controlled space to perform maintenance on the 434th Air Refueling Wing’s fleet of aircraft.

“Additionally, in conjunction with the USACE Army Reserve National Roofing program, the Facility 437 roof was the sixth and final hangar roof to be replaced by USACE contracts within the last four years,” said Dow. “This additional space will prove to be indispensable for years to come.”

According to the team, the biggest challenge with this project was the installation of the fire suppression system. Nearly 70 percent of the way through the construction contract duration, the Department of the Air Force issued a memorandum titled ‘Sundown Policy for Foam Fire Suppression Systems,’ and according to Jeffrey Burnett, Louisville District Indiana Resident Engineer, the Air Force Reserves requested USACE take out the old system and install a new Pre-Action Water System.

“This policy directive resulted in a significant modification that overhauled the facility’s entire fire suppression system to include 100 percent demolition of the old system and replacement with an entire new system,” Dow said. “It was originally contracted to be a tie-in, and extension-of, the existing fire suppression system.”

Ultimately the contract was modified to incorporate the new requirements.

“This challenge was overcome by stakeholder engagement and working as a project delivery team to define a new Scope of Work, modify the contract, and allow the Contractor to design and install the new system,” Dow said. “The Designer of Record, contractor, Louisville District staff, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Grissom Base Civil Engineer, Grissom Fire Department, and many others played a vital role in executing this modification successfully.”

The entire team worked together to ensure a successfully project delivery, according to Dow.

“The contractor’s management of the project’s construction, and partnering with USACE and Grissom BCE, proved paramount to the project’s success,” Dow said.