MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Construction crews, in coordination with Public Works, are continuing to break ground on the 47,600-square foot All Weather Training Facility that is being built near the 1st RTBn. physical training field.
After years of planning and proposals, the funds were approved by Congress, and Public Works was awarded the $7 million contract in May 2003. After several months and many revisions to the original blue prints, construction to the facility began in November 2003. Public Works drew up plans for the multi-purpose building because they thought it would be more useful rather than an ordinary Thunderdome, a structure that would only protect against lightning and heavy rains.
The facility's expansive open space, which ranges 260-feet long and 150-feet wide, will primarily be used for recruit academic training, close order drill and indoor graduations during inclement weather and Black Flag conditions, according to David Woodward, architect for the Public Works engineering division.
"It's a huge building ... it's going to be bigger than the Lyceum," he said.
The facility will be equipped with enough retractable and fixed bleachers to accommodate more than 2,900 people, and with three 12- by 18-foot audiovisual projector screens. The facility will also be used for classroom instruction, conferences and other civic activities.
To alleviate the congestion in the Recruit Chapel on Sundays, the seating capacity in the facility will also be used for religious services. This will eliminate the need to conduct multiple services to accommodate the high number of recruits, said Woodward.
Aside from added convenience, the building's overall design, which will incorporate red brick, detailed decorative arches and square windows, will be reminiscent of the historical architecture of some of the buildings aboard Parris Island, some of which have been in use since the late 1930's, said Woodward.
"We're trying to make our buildings have a character that will last like the old buildings," he said. "We are using buildings now that are well over 100 years old. I'm sure this building will be in use for another 100 years also."
With the completion of the building scheduled for September, Woodward is confident that their latest creation will uphold Marine standards of quality and "permanence."
"We're going to build this building as good as the buildings we have that are turn-of-the-century," said Woodward. "We're trying to make sure we build quality. The Marine Corps is the most elite fighting force in the world, and the buildings need to reflect that nature."