Puerto Rico National Guard breaks ground on $300M Camp Santiago projects
The Puerto Rico National Guard today began engineering and reconstruction projects at Camp Santiago in Salinas worth $299.7 million in federal funds destined for military construction. These projects will last approximately five years and are expected to generate 400 direct and 200 indirect jobs.
“In 2017 Hurricane María impacted the entire island of Puerto Rico and military installations were no exception. Many of our readiness centers were severely damaged, but Camp Santiago Joint Training Center was the most affected of all,” said Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau.
“More than 60% of the center’s transient training facilities were damaged beyond repair. As a result, collective and individual training opportunities have been limited,” Hokanson said.
“Once the projects are complete, we will have new transient training barracks allowing for nearly 1,000 personnel, as well as new administrative and dining facilities. Camp Santiago will be better equipped to conduct military training operations in support of our state and federal missions,” he said.
Among the several engineering projects is the demolition of 40 inoperative structures, the revitalization of the electrical system, and the water use and management system, as well as the construction and expansion of parking areas.
Twenty-nine new buildings for housing and administrative support will also be built, as well as two dining rooms with capacity for 200 people each and guaranteed to resist winds of up to 200 mph.
The design and construction execution were commissioned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), with the contract awarded to local general contractor 4CKV.
During the construction phase, the projects will contribute more than $7.9 million in taxes to the state and local governments, Puerto Rico National Guard officials said.
“These reconstruction works will be of great benefit not only to the military community but also to the municipalities of Salinas and Coamo, and surrounding communities,” said Brig. Gen. Miguel A. Méndez, Acting Adjutant General.
“The infrastructure improvement will result in better training for our Guard. Also, Camp Santiago will once again be an option for federal and state agencies, and military personnel who will find everything they need for their training here,” Méndez said.
Camp Santiago in Salinas has been key in the development and maintenance of the Puerto Rico National Guard since 1940. It currently consists of over 12,789 acres of land and close to 300 buildings and has all the necessary resources to carry out any type of military or civilian training.
