Homes take shape in Thrower Park

Published Aug. 27, 2007
By Susan Griggs
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Walls started going up Aug. 23 in Thrower Park for the first new homes being built for Keesler families.

Plans call for 1,028 homes to be built as part of the largest military family housing project in Air Force history at a cost of $287.8 million.

Craig Merkerson, base housing program manager, said since several homes of each floor plan are being built, mass-produced walls enable construction to be completed more quickly and efficiently.

"An advantage is the walls can be built square or true to required dimensions and with less labor hours at an off-site plant," he explained. "The risk is foundations may not be square or true to dimension, so the walls may be too short or too long when delivered. The key to success is quality control of the measurements taken to ensure walls produced at the off-site plant match the foundations on site.

"When a contractor builds one custom home at a time, there's little benefit to having the wall sections built off site," Mr. Merkerson added. "However, the number of homes to be built at Keesler in the time frame required drive the contractor to find the quickest way to provide a quality product."

The first Thrower Park homes are scheduled for delivery in late March.