Monday, August 20, 2012

New $1B Beaumont Hospital, EPCC Add to Ft. Bliss Expansion

The ongoing expansion of Ft. Bliss continues as plans to construct a new William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) move forward just off of Loop 375 and Spur 601. The $1 Billion dollar project includes construction of 1.13 million square foot complex on a 200+ acre site and will be a LEED certified building when completed.
The new WBAMC location, off of Loop 375 just south of Spur 601.
Sections of the hospital will vary from four to seven stories in height, and a 135-bed wing will be located in the tallest structure. The hospital will have two access points, one near a new overpass currently under construction on Loop 375.
HDR Inc., a Nebraska-based architecture, engineering, consulting, and construction firm, designed the environmentally friendly medical center. According to HDR's project page, sustainable features in the design include "Alternative Energy, Bike Racks, Construction Waste Management, Daylighting & Views, Geothermal Energy, Heat Island Reduction Strategies, LEED Registered, Light Pollution Reduction, Local/Regional Materials, Recycling , and Renewable Energy On-site."
Army officials will soon announce the builder chosen for the project. The new facility will replace the current WBAMC located in Northeast El Paso. Plans for the older facility have not yet been announced.

HDR Project Website: http://www.hdrinc.com/

EPCC at Fort Bliss

El Paso Community College (EPCC) announced recently that it will be adding a new Fort Bliss location in the near future. The college has been working for five years to make the campus at the Army post a reality. The plans are currently in the design/bidding phase which should be completed in 2013, and construction could start shortly thereafter.

This new campus branch will be located in the same vicinity as the upcoming William Beaumont Army Medical Center, near Loop 375 and Spur 601. Though located on post, students will be able to access the college via a new interchange currently under construction on Loop 375. The new campus will strengthen EPCC's current presence on base.

EPCC News Story: http://www.epcc.edu/NEWSANDEVENTS/Pages/fortbliss.aspx