ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - The first Family slated to move into APG's new Bayside townhomes will sign their lease during a Feb. 7 ceremony at Picerne Military Housing's Neighborhood Office.
The early morning event, attended by APG Installation Commander Maj. Gen. Nick Justice and Garrison Commander Col. Orlando Ortiz, will commemorate the opening and dedication of the new housing area.
"The project is moving quickly and the most exciting part is that we will be delivering all 210 new homes to military families this year," said Picerne's Communication Manager, Angela French Marcum.
The 210 new homes will be comprised of 76 junior enlisted homes (36 percent of the 210), 100 senior enlisted homes (48 percent) and 34 company grade officer (16 percent).
Despite the early lease signing, the keys won't be handed over until late February, at which time Marcum said the first four homes will be handed to the occupants, "and we will continue to deliver homes through the summer at an average of 20 homes per month."
Marcum said the homes are very competitive in design, features, finishes, living space and amenities with local homes for sale outside of APG gates.
All of the newly constructed homes are designated for military Families only, with the order in which Families are offered a new home prioritized as follows:
1. Families that are under-housed based on the number of bedrooms per child guideline (sequenced by their time in family housing on post).
2. Families inadequately housed base on rank band (sequenced by their time in family housing on post).
3. Families living in on-post family housing with Picerne that desire to move and have a minimum of six months left on their orders, based on time they have lived in family housing on post.
Five percent of homes delivered each month will be reserved for incoming military families.
Marcum said to determine how many homes were needed for military Family housing on post, the Community Development Management Plan was jointly developed between the Army and
Picerne based on a market analysis.
"On-post military housing is designed to meet the need for 30 percent of the Families assigned to that post," she explained.
Currently, 65 percent of the population living on post are military members. Thirty percent of the population are DoD civilians and 5 percent are retirees.
Marcum said, thanks to Picerne's ability to rent surplus homes in Patriot Village to DoD civilians over the last two years, about $8 million has been reinvested into the program.
"This has been a real win for the project and a solution for many people who relocated with BRAC," she said.
Income generated from civilian residents is reinvested to build and renovate homes for military Families.
She said renting homes to civilians has given newly relocated personnel a chance to live on post, near their jobs, while deciding where in the area they want to settle.
In addition to the construction of 210 new homes, Picerne is also in the process of providing 65 major renovations and 97 historic renovations.
The 65 major renovations, scheduled for 2013, will combine existing sixplexes into three single family attached homes with two-car garages in the currently occupied Bayside housing area.
"Also, duplexes will be combined into single family homes with two-car garages and exterior and interior renovations," said Marcum.
"These homes will be three-, fourand five-bedroom homes for field grade and senior grade officer Families and offer larger living spaces and accommodate larger Families," she said. "We have had a lot of positive feedback and success with combined home renovations at other projects."
The 97 historic renovations are being completed in the Aberdeen and Edgewood areas as the homes become available through attrition.
"These renovations honor the integrity of the historic exteriors, while upgrading the kitchens, baths and finishes to be marketable and meet the needs of modern military Families," she said.
Picerne has completed 20 percent of the historic renovations, 19 of the 97.
The demolition of older on-post housing, to include Skippers Point at APG North and New Chesapeake at APG South, is slated to take place through 2018. Thirty-four demolitions have been completed to date in order to accommodate new home development.
That is approximately five percent of the 773 homes slated for demolition.
Land surrounding future demolitions will be graded, leveled out and converted to green space.
Marcum said more than 70 percent of occupied homes on post, including Patriot Village and Bayside, have received minor renovations--new carpet, paint, fixtures, and upgraded amenities.
As construction, renovations and demolitions continue, Marcum said Picerne seeks and encourages feedback from residents in the form of surveys and other venues to make sure they are meeting residents' needs and expectations.
"This has proven to be a very successful partnership," she said, "and we consistently strive to provide excellent customer service to residents in all areas."
For more information on Picerne, visit http://apgpicerne.com/.
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