The construction area of a transient training brigade headquarters in the 1600 block on the cantonment area is shown Oct. 9, 2023, at Fort McCoy, Wis.

As October 2023 began, the construction progress on the $11.96 million transient training brigade headquarters project at Fort McCoy reached past 80 percent complete, according to a recent update from Ken Green with the Army Corps of Engineers Program Office at Fort McCoy.

As recent as early June, the project was at 40 percent complete, and now at early October it’s 80 percent done, meaning the contractor made great strides during the summer months, Green said.

Green reported in his Sept. 29 update that the project was continuing at the planned, scheduled pace. Green stated in his update that current work included interior framing, interior sheet rock and finishing, continued window installation, interior and exterior painting was continuing, tile work continued, elevator work continued, and ceiling grid installation continued, and more.

Overall, the contract for the project, totaling nearly $12 million, was awarded June 9, 2022, and construction operations began a just over a year ago in August 2022. The current contract completion date is set for February 2024.

This project is the first of three planned brigade headquarters buildings projects, said Master Planner Brian Harrie with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW). The plan is to build four barracks buildings — two are already completed, the three 20,000-square-foot brigade headquarters buildings, and two 160-room officer quarters.

Harrie also said in previous articles that this project is based on the denser, more consolidated footprints of Fort McCoy’s Troop Housing Area Development Plan which states fewer, multiple story buildings allow facilities/functions to be sited closer together, allowing for a more walkable training environment, as well as saving money on utilities.

The smaller footprint of the brigade headquarters building plan builds less impervious surface, which generates less stormwater runoff that requires less stormwater management features and allows for additional cost savings. The floor plan also is based on the “Operational Readiness Training Complex” standard design and additional square footage has been included in this project to accommodate stair and elevator access to the second floor.”

Harrie said the smaller footprint of the brigade headquarters building plan builds less impervious surface, which generates less stormwater runoff that requires less stormwater management features and allows for additional cost savings. The floor plan also is based on the “Operational Readiness Training Complex” standard design and additional square footage has been included in this project to accommodate stair and elevator access to the second floor.”

Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”