MILCON: Grafenwoehr Building Premiere Complex

By USACEApril 7, 2008

Grafenwoehr construction
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

More than 80 projects valued at close to $1 billion in today's dollars make "Efficient Basing Grafenwoehr" one of the largest military construction programs in Europe. When it's all complete in 2012, engineers say the complex in Germany is slated to be the Army's premiere facility outside the United States.

Efficient Basing Grafenwoehr is an initiative to consolidate command and control headquarters and six battalion-sized elements in support of U.S. Army Europe's transformation. EBG involves the relocation of units from multiple USAREUR installations to a consolidated complex located at East Camp Grafenwoehr.

The goal of the EBG initiative is to maximize readiness, operational control, force protection, and quality of life by capitalizing on efficiencies derived from consolidation on a single installation.

The initiative combines new construction and renovations of facilities, such as motor pools, operational facilities, barracks, family housing, and community support amenities.

Currently, Grafenwoehr is home to the Army's largest PX/commissary shopping complex in Europe, the most modern health and dental clinic in Europe, as well as brand new company and battalion operations facilities, motor pools, and several new barracks. Upcoming facilities expected in 2008 include a new elementary school, middle school, child development center, school-age services building, and even more barracks and operations facilities. Providing these facilities for the Soldier and their families is critical to reinforcing readiness and retention, officials said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans and manages almost $100 million of projects on Grafenwoehr every year and USACE officials said they believe that the quality of these facilities should match the sacrifice today's warfighters are making for the nation.

When complete, Grafenwoehr's unique gated community called Netzaberg will provide 835 build-to-lease family housing units with an integrated village center, including an elementary and middle school, chapel, child development center, youth services center, shoppette, and sports fields.

The total amount of concrete that has been poured at Grafenwoehr over the last five years, if consolidated in one place, could fill up a football field with solid concrete 145 feet high, engineers report

The total reinforced steel that has gone into Grafenwoehr during the last five years could easily build two Eiffel Towers, engineers said.

The total sewer lines put into Grafenwoehr during the last five years would equal a single string of sewer pipe stretching from the Capital Beltway to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Grafenwoehr may no longer be on the edge of enemy terrain, as it was for 40 years. But officials point out that its importance only grows stronger, with allied forces coming from around the world to conduct high-tech training, and foreign military planners coming to see how theinstallation has been turned from an overlooked facility into a highly-developed, livable community.