Renovations, new construction update housing

Last week, work crews put the finishing touches on a new house in Fort Gordon's Maglin Terrace.

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The hardwood floors received a coat of mineral oil while some of the walls received touch-up paint.

"We are ahead of schedule," said Harry Bloomer, a project manager for GMH Military Housing, the private company that will construct 310 new houses at Fort Gordon and renovate nearly 600 more during the next five years. By project's end, all of the housing on post will be new or remodeled.

A dozen new houses in the Maglin Terrace subdivision will be for colonels and their families and will be ready for new occupants next month. Other construction for privates is being completed in Olive Terrace.

The project costs $110 million and is the first new housing construction at Fort Gordon in nearly four decades.

Part of the project calls for a new 80-acre development called Lakeview to be constructed near Chamberlain Avenue, not far from the Gate 1 entrance. More than half of the new construction will be in this area.

The first of three prototype houses are being built and can be seen as drivers pass Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center. The three types of houses being built are single family, duplex and handicapped accessible. Of the 179 new units, 148 will be duplexes.

Once one of each of type of house is built, it will be analyzed to see if it fits the needs, Bloomer said.

The entrance to Lakeview is next to the Courtyard, the former Officers Club, off Brainard Avenue.

New construction also can be seen around Boardman Lake, where the post's senior officials live.

Two new residences already have been constructed. The homes for the deputy commander as well as the hospital commander are nearing completion.

After Brig. Gen. Randolph P. Strong, the post's current commander, leaves this summer, his quarters will be demolished. A new home for incoming commander Brig. Gen. Jeff Foley, will be built and completed by the holidays, Bloomer said.