Corps and Edgewood Chemical Biological Center cut ribbon on new, expanded laboratory

By U.S. ArmyAugust 7, 2014

Sen. Mikulski cuts the ribbon at the Advanced Chemistry Laboratory
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Standing in front of the Maryland flag, Sen. Barbara Mikulski cuts the ribbon on the newly expanded Dr. Edward J. Poziomek Advanced Chemistry Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground on Aug. 5. Through funding secured by the Maryland congressional deleg... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Col. Trey Jordan thanks partners for Advanced Chemistry Laboratory support
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Trey Jordan, District Engineer and Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, addressed more than 50 people at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Dr. Edward J. Poziomek Advanced Chemistry Laboratory on Aberdeen Proving Ground ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

More than 50 people joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, installation dignitaries and officials from the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center to officially open the expanded Dr. Edward J. Poziomek Advanced Chemistry Laboratory on Aberdeen Proving Ground Aug. 5.

Col. Trey Jordan, District Engineer and Commander for the Baltimore District, said, "The work that you do here will protect the Nation and our Soldiers against chemical and biological warfare."

Construction began on the $15.3 million project in November 2011. "The project included two large components: an 11,500 square foot analytical chemistry wing and a 14,500 square foot administrative area addition," Jordan noted.

Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski said that "Team Maryland (the state's congressional delegation) fought hard to give you the tools you need for this building. We worked to make sure you had the funds available. We value what you do."

Michael Hitchings served as the district's project manager. "This was a design-bid-build project. The design was completed to 100 percent with the full plans and specifications." Hitchings followed the project from design through construction to ensure that it met the scope, schedule and budget.

The Baltimore District team on the project included Area Engineer Scott Johnson, Resident Engineer Timothy Cotter and Project Engineer Michael Soper, each with specific oversight duties. John Borders provided the quality assurance to oversee and ensure that the construction work kept within the project's scope and specifications.

The project delivery team recognized this as a unique project. "This laboratory is essential to supporting not only our warfighters, but also domestic and international security as it relates to the deadliest chemicals on the planet (known and unknown to mankind)" Hitchings said. "Our team successfully integrated this facility into an existing and operational laboratory without causing any significant disruptions to the daily operations of the laboratory, thereby ensuring that their mission could remain operational during construction. The comprehensive PDT sought every effort to execute this mission with the taxpayer in mind, while also ensuring that mission objectives were met. Through these comprehensive efforts, the PDT supported the construction of this national asset, in support of the international chemical prevention and risk mitigation mission."

"The interaction between USACE and the Aberdeen Proving Ground directorate of public works, "Hitchings emphasized, "was strong with many positive opportunities to partner and ensure project success. USACE, through the hard and tireless efforts of Michael Soper, worked daily with the customer, maintained a very strong and close relationship with the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) team members, and sought to ensure success on every level."

According to ECBC, the original facility (a $46 million project also built by the Baltimore District) opened in 2005. The Advanced Chemistry Laboratory is designed to work with the deadliest chemicals on the planet known as surety compounds. Highly instrumented and adaptable, the primary facilities within the laboratory include advanced toxic agent laboratories, environmental chambers and secure work spaces for classified materials. Chemical agent operations in the building include analytical chemistry, Chemical Weapons Convention treaty support, filtration and decontamination technology development and evaluation of chemical agent detectors. The facility also includes Nuclear Magnetic Resonance suites where scientists study the properties and effects of chemical threat materials.

The current project added 11,500 square feet of research space to the 200 lab wing. Within this addition are six primary lab spaces to include a decontamination laboratory, surface science laboratory, two chemical surety laboratories, a materials test laboratory, and a chemical point detection laboratory. The project also added a new 14,500 square foot administration addition to the front of the facility to support the relocation of staff from other facilities into the ACL.

Media coverage of the ribbon cutting event included WJLA (ABC7) from Washington, D.C.

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