New Military Fitness Centers Announced

The military has announced the opening or construction of several new fitness facilities this week:

  • Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, SC, celebrated the grand opening of a 25,000-square-foot fitness center extension this week. The $6.5 million facility replaces a fitness center built in 1968 and fits the criteria for LEED Silver certification. The new fitness center features a cardio and weight training area, locker rooms and juice bar.
  • The U.S. Navy has chosen a builder to construct a new fitness center at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (SC). According to a statement from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the $12.9 million center, which will serve 4,000 Marines and sailors, will be built with respect to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification criteria. Some of the facility’s environmentally friendly and energy-efficient features will include a rainwater collection system and solar-powered water heaters. The center is expected to be completed by May 2013.
  • The U.S. Army has finalized the location for a new training center for its reserve units and Connecticut National Guard units in Danbury, CT. The 95,000-square-foot center will include fitness facilities and will serve around 200 reserve members during weekend drills. The military initially planned to buy 30 acres of land in the area for a larger project, but scaled back its scope after concerns from the local community. It paid $4.3 million for the 17-acre lot where the new center will be located. Construction is expected to be completed in two years.