January target date for construction completion Published July 15, 2009 By Airman 1st Class David Salanitri 81st training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Construction of Keesler's new base exchange and commissary is more than 78 percent complete, according to JohnMichael, project technical inspector. The project started more than two years ago and is slated to be done by the first week of January, according to Mr. Michael. Once the construction is accomplished and turned over to the tenants in the building, base officials and representatives from the Defense Commissary Agency and Army and Air Force Exchange Service determine the grand opening date. "In the commissary, workers have just completed finishing the main sales floor and all the walls have been constructed and are now being finished," said Mr. Michael. "On the exchange side they are finishing up on all the walls and starting to install the ceiling grids throughout the store," he continued. "Most of the wiring and plumbing have been run and permanent electricity has been connected." "The project is progressing nicely at this point -- we had some issues at the very beginning, butwe foresee no further problems that will delay the project."