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Home sweet homes<br>Air Force's largest housing project done

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Monday marked the end of the largest military family housing construction project in Air Force history.

A "Year of the Air Force Family" celebration brought together Keesler officials, community representatives and construction leaders at 208 Patrick Drive in the Bayridge housing area to mark the occasion.

The massive $287.8 million construction program was launched nearly three years ago, with Hunt Building Co. and W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co., forming a unique partnership to complete the 1,028 housing units.

Brig. Gen. Ian Dickinson, 81st Training Wing commander, expressed his appreciation to the Hunt-Yates joint venture by accepting a plaque from William Yates, president of Yates Construction.

Mr. Yates pointed out the aggressive pace of the construction project, noting, "that's almost 1½ houses completed per day for two straight years, 365 days a year." The project was completed nearly four months ahead of schedule.

The project provided 198 junior noncommissioned officer family units in Thrower Park, 136 NCO units in West Falcon Park, 200 mixed-use units in the first phase of Bayridge housing in the fomer Shadowlawn and Maltby Hall neighborhoods, 364 homes in Northwest Falcon Park and the final 130 units for senior NCOs and officers in Bayridge.

The three- and four-bedroom homes, which average about 1,800 to 2,000 square feet, are equipped with garages and outdoor living spaces tucked into neighborhoods with playgrounds, basketball courts and walking paths.

Nearly 800 homes qualify for Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, the most of any housing development in the nation. LEED homes are constructed with high-efficiency energy and water systems, environmentally-friendly materials, native landscaping and energy-efficient appliances.

Right now, about 150 of the homes await occupants. For more information, call 376-8611.
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