Community and government leaders broke ground on a 170,355-square-foot Armed Forces Readiness Center (AFRC) and Field Maintenance Shop (FMS) that will be the new home of the Iowa Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve stationed in Cedar Rapids.

 

Opus Design Build and Opus Northwest, working with Opus Architects & Engineers as the lead designer and architect of record, will design and construct the project. Located at 1500 Wright Brothers Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids, approximately one mile east of the Eastern Iowa Airport, the project is slated for completion by September 2011.

 

“Opus is proud to partner with Iowa National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve to design and construct the best facility possible for our armed forces,’’ said Dave Bangasser, president and CEO of Opus Design Build.

State leaders and government officials joined Opus in the ground breaking and celebrating this important government facility.  Governor Chet Culver, Congressman Dave Loebsack, Adjutant General Timothy Orr, Col. Scott Ayers, and Mayor Ron Corbett were just a few of the dignitaries that took part in the ceremony. 

 

The Cedar Rapids AFRC and FMS projects will cost approximately $38 million and are 100% federally-funded, with support from the State of Iowa for Iowa Communications Network connectivity.

 

Comprised of more than 113,506-sq-ft, the Cedar Rapids AFRC will contain a 9,000-sq-ft floor assembly hall, full kitchen, multi-purpose classrooms, weapons simulation facility, storage and administrative space for all assigned Soldiers, a frontage road to connect to developments on the east and west sides of the site, and parking for 560 vehicles.

The Cedar Rapids Field Maintenance Shop will consist of approximately 56,749-sq-ft, which includes 10 work bays, one wash bay, an electronic bay communications and electronics repair facilities, a multi-purpose classroom/training facility, small arms repair facility, and parking for 67 vehicles.

 

Opus will seek to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the project by incorporating key environmentally friendly features, such as using energy-efficient mechanical systems and geo-thermal heating, water conservation measures, highly insulated exterior wall and roofing systems, lighting controls and the use of as much daylight as possible.

 

Opus Design Build L.L.C., headquartered in Minnetonka, is a full-service design-build construction firm with expertise in office, industrial, retail, multifamily, government and institutional projects. Committed to creating great real estate, Opus implements best practices in sustainable design and construction to maximize building performance and reduce environmental impact. With more than 56 years of experience, The Opus Group, has completed more than 2,440 projects, totaling more than 240 million square feet throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.opuscorp.com and follow us on www.twitter.com/opuscorp.