$72M Development at Fort George G. Meade being delivered at no cost to the government
Fort George G. Meade, Md. (February 21, 2013) – Picerne Military Housing, a division of Corvias Group, a privately-owned, vertically-integrated real estate solutions group, held a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday to celebrate the start of construction on 432 much needed on-post apartments for barracks-eligible, single unaccompanied service members.
Picerne Military Housing was joined by the Honorable Katherine Hammack, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment and Colonel Edward C. Rothstein, Garrison Commander, Fort George G. Meade to celebrate this first-ever, public-private partnership with the U.S. Army. Guests were able to tour the Reece Crossings model home to see how the apartments will greatly improve the quality of life for single service members.
“Today adds to the dramatic transformation of the housing here at Fort Meade as we recognize the Army’s commitment to significantly improve the quality of life for our service members,” said Ms. Hammack.
Reece Crossings is the U.S. Army’s first-ever privately-developed, on-post garden-style apartment community for unaccompanied junior enlisted soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen. The $72 million project is designed to give more than 1,400 junior enlisted single service members a choice to live on-post at Fort Meade.
“We are honored to partner with the Army on this incredible development and proud to bring this community to Fort Meade,” said Corvias Group President and CEO John Picerne. “I look forward to seeing our service members enjoy a much better quality of life, and I hope that this innovative project will inspire new partnerships and better housing on installations nationwide.”
Hammack touted the importance of public-private partnerships, especially given the current financial strains and economic climate.
“If the budget cuts posed by sequestration become a reality, the quality of life for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen will be in serious jeopardy,” said Ms. Hammack. “Partnerships, like that with Picerne, will become critical in the future as we become more dependent on the private sector and the communities in which we have military bases.”
Reece Crossings is a modern apartment community comprised of 432 one with den and two-bedroom apartments with 816 beds. The project will offer 48 1,126 square foot one-bedrooms plus den and 384 1,186 square foot two-bedroom apartments. The apartments will feature large kitchens with a breakfast bar and full-size appliances, spacious living rooms, a laundry room with washer and dryer and free cable, high-speed Internet and utilities. All service members living at Reece Crossings will also enjoy private master suites which include individual bathrooms, walk-in closets, personal climate controls, and private climate-controlled secure storage for military gear. Apartments will come fully furnished with a sofa, media cabinet, barstools and coffee table, in addition to a queen-size bed, desk and night stand in each bedroom.
“This new community will improve the military experience for our unaccompanied junior enlisted troops, who deserve it the most. It will give them the opportunity to live on-post, close to the community, work and the training resources here to support them,” said Col. Rothstein.
As featured in this computer animation, the 14-building apartment community at Reece Crossings was designed specifically for the unaccompanied junior service member demographic. Amenities include weight lifting and fitness rooms, a state-of-the-art clubroom with multiple flat-screen TVs, sports ticker and video gaming, a cyber café with charging stations and Internet access, basketball and sand volleyball courts. The development will include gathering spaces to reduce isolation and boost morale such as a 6,233-square-foot community clubhouse, resort-style lap pool and outdoor grilling and picnic pavilions.
“We are thrilled to be starting the construction of Reece Crossings that will bring young service members back on base and provide them with the much-needed support, mentorship and camaraderie of their peers and commanders,” said Michael Steiner, Managing Director of Picerne Military Housing.
To help ensure sustainability, Reece Crossings has been designed in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver, Low-Impact Development (LID) and ENERGY STAR® guidelines, including advanced storm water management techniques such as bio filtration facilities and rain gardens. Use of low-flow toilets, faucets and showers, and Energy Star rated appliances will reduce energy consumption. The project will also be constructed with recycled, low-maintenance, regional materials to reduce transportation cost and carbon emissions from delivery vehicles.
About Corvias Group
Corvias is a privately-owned, vertically-integrated real estate solutions group dedicated to building strong communities through partnerships that deliver the highest quality development, construction and management solutions to a range of clients, including the military and higher education. Applying our success as pioneers of real estate development and management as Picerne Military Housing, Corvias delivers customer service that exceeds client expectations and an innovative, holistic approach to facility financing, management and construction. We have the ability to forge partnerships that consistently put the interests of our clients first and the flexibility to pursue creative, sustainable long-term solutions to their most difficult challenges. www.corvias.com
###