Correspondent
Despite a corporate changeover a few months ago, things are going well with the privatized housing effort at Fort Gordon, according to the project manager.
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Fort Gordon's Lakeview housing area was completed in April, four months ahead of schedule.
Special
Fort Gordon's Lakeview housing area was completed in April, four months ahead of schedule.
"Balfour Beatty (Communities) purchased GMH (Military Housing) on May 1. It's been mostly a name change only. There have been no changes in personnel or policies. We have new signs and new shirts," said Harry Bloomer, who has been with the Fort Gordon project since its early days.
GMH Military Housing won the contract to build houses and renovate existing ones in 2005. Officials took over Fort Gordon housing services in 2006. GMH built the first new residences on post since 1975.
"Most homes were built in the late 1950s, early 1960s," Mr. Bloomer said. "There were 122 in Olive Terrace that were built in 1974 and 1975."
In April, the last of the 310 new residences on post had been completed ahead of schedule, Mr. Bloomer said. ''They were supposed to be finished in August," he said.
New houses were built in several locations at Fort Gordon. The commanding general received a new house on Boardman Lake, but more than half of the new construction took place in a new housing area called Lakeview.
Now, the focus is on remodeling the older housing units. Some will be torn down but others will be transformed into more spacious living quarters for soldiers and their families.
All of the older residences will get updated appliances, new flooring and light fixtures and more square footage as fourplexes become duplexes. In all, 577 residences will be renovated. So far, 60 have been completed. Renovations are scheduled for completion in 2012.
Mr. Bloomer said he thinks the sale of GMH to Balfour Beatty Communities is a positive step for the future.
"GMH was a $400 million to $600 million company. Balfour Beatty does in excess of $10 billion a year. They have better resources," he said.
Reach Charmain Z. Brackett at charmain.brackett@augustachronicle.com.
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