In the last year Fort Knox has undergone a few cosmetic changes to its infrastructure. Some buildings have been renovated while others have been demolished. One of the major construction projects on the installation is nearing completion--the renovation of the 1st Sustainment Command's (Theater) future home--Bldg. 1467.

Jay Schmidt, an engineer at Fort Knox's Directorate of Public Works' Environmental Services Division, said the construction and renovations on the building have hit the 50 percent mark.

"The building is getting a 75 percent makeover (because of) mold and (it was a) dilapidated structure," explained Schmidt. "It had asbestos (that) had to (be removed) … (we had to) also rebuild to the 1st TSC's new configuration."

Schmidt added that having the unit in one building will be a plus because at its current home at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the unit is spaced out into 14 different buildings. Its future home at Fort Knox will be 130,000 square feet.

"The building will be restructured for security inside and outside," he said. "It's basically getting a new makeover in its aesthetics, walling, flooring, ceiling and it will be 100 percent energy efficient (because) we insulated all of the exterior walls."

He pointed out that DPW is reusing a lot of the furnishings like water fountains and restroom fixtures. Another part of the building will remain the same is the HVAC system, which is geothermal.

"All the electric is being replaced 100 percent," Schmidt said. "It was one of the older electrical feed rooms. We are actually moving that outside and changing that over. We will be updating a lot of the electrical panels and main feed panels."

DPW is slated to start moving furniture into the building the first week of May, and then the unit is expected to begin moving during the middle of June.

Some of the construction has been in the form of renovating and fixing what's broken. Over the years Anderson Indoor Aquatics Center has had issues with leaking and closed to fix that problem as well as other issues. Schmidt said the pool is currently it's having all of the paneling moved off the exterior, and brick walls, glass windows, new doors and a new roof are being added. The new roof will ensure the building is energy efficient.

"The HVAC within the swimming pool is going to change to be a little bit more accommodating to swimmers, and the lighting will be changed to be indirect so it won't blind lifeguards or other people swimming," he said.

The color of the water will also change and reflect the pool's depth. The darker the color the deeper the water and the lighter color will reflect the shallower portion of the pool.

Schmidt added that the pool will have tile markings for swim lanes that will be equivalent to college rules and regulations.

"If somebody wanted to host an Olympic swimming event (here) they could," said Schmidt. "The slide is being replaced and so is the diving board."

Work on the pool began September 2016 and Schmidt said it should be complete by September. The contractor is on schedule, and DPW is pleased with the work, said Schmidt.

The patio at Camp Carlson is receiving a makeover to make it compliant with the Americas with Disabilities Act. Schmidt said if someone was in a wheelchair he or she couldn't go down the patio's flight of stairs.

The patio is scheduled to be complete in May.

The installation of the new fence being added around the Patton Museum is progressing. Mark Richerson, DPW's project manager, said the bollards, which will be between the parking lot and facility, will be added within the next week.

"The parking lot lighting … should be done by Feb. 2," he said. "All of the parking lot that's not going to be used … the asphalt has been taken up and the parking lot will be repaved."

The parking lot repaving should be complete by May. He added that they don't know when U.S. Highway 31W access will be permitted.

"The plan is for the public to gain entrance to the Patton Museum from (U.S. Highway) 31W and no longer have to come onto Fort Knox to access the museum," said Richerson.

Richerson added that the rainy weather hasn't interfered with the fence being installed because the poles were installed before the rain began.

When entering the Chaffee (Main) Gate there has been a noticeable change. The mounds of dirt are gone and items are being installed in the ground. The new construction at the gates is being done because the installation has to be in compliance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers access control points policy, which means there have to be separate areas to conduct inspections of commercial vehicles and random inspections of privately owned vehicles. Richerson said the contractors have completed underground utilities.

"The canopy foundations are being placed and the next step is island and lane construction," Richerson said. "Contract completion date for the Chaffee Gate is May 26."

John Wiseman, a DPW engineer, said when South Knox Street opened in December the street in front of Bldg. 65 was closed off to traffic. A wall is being built to enclose a dumpster that is being added in front of the building.

"The old entrance to the Education Center is closed off and (drivers will) have access to the rear part of the parking lot," Wiseman said. "The completion is weather permitting."

Scott Edwards, a DPW engineer, said the warehouse district site restoration is the area where all the old warehouses once stood. He said the warehouses have been demoed, with asphalt and gravel also removed.

"We are restoring it back to grass," Edwards said. "Working on removing asphalt weather permitting and (we) will be filling with top soil and seed this spring."

"This will be empty space to build something in the future," said Wiseman.