USAG Vicenza Breaks Ground for New Schools, Childcare Facilities

By USAG Vicenza Public Affairs OfficeNovember 29, 2007

USAG Vicenza Breaks Ground for New Schools, Childcare Facilities
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VICENZA, Italy - A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday on Caserma Ederle's Villaggio della Pace for the construction of new schools and childcare facilities for U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza.

The elementary school, nearly150,000 square feet, will have a capacity for up to 1,050 students, while the middle school, at more than 67,000 square feet, will seat another 270.

The child development center and school age services facilities will have room for 348 children. These facilities will occupy about 44,000 square meters, and contain modern, well-equipped playgrounds, separate rooms for homework, computers, art, the performing arts and a large multi-purpose room that can be used for sports as well as assemblies. A demonstration kitchen for cooking projects is also planned.

The structures will replace the aging buildings on Caserma Ederle with modern, environmentally responsible structures and sports fields in the American housing area. About 100 of the older row houses will be demolished to provide space for the campus.

Later projects will include a new high school at the same site. The projects will ultimately lead to more green space on both Villaggio della Pace and on Caserma Ederle.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command announced Sept. 25 the award for a new school complex to construction company CMC di Ravenna, from Ravenna, Italy. The amount of the award is $50 million. Construction is to begin this winter and is scheduled to be complete summer 2010.