Marine Air Station Breaks Ground for Energy Efficient Youth Center
Soltek Pacific Construction Company was awarded the Design-Build Youth Center project back in September, 2008. The new MCAS Miramar Youth Center will allow Marine Corps Community Services to provide valuable youth programs to a great number of family members fro active-duty, Reservists, retirees and Department of Defense employees. The facility will serve children from six-weeks to 18 years old and will accommodate a daily attendance of 204 youth and teens and 1,000 registered members.
All programs will be held in a designated area. This provided convenience for parents and hosts a unique community that alleviates some of the trials affecting military youth and teens, such as relocation, deployments and making new friends.
The planned 17,500-sf youth center will include a multi-purpose room for instructional dance, music and martial arts classes. An exclusive space designed for pre-teens and teens hold the latest in computer technology and console gaming systems. A youth sports complex with four synthetic ball fields for soccer, softball, little league baseball, a concessions stand and restrooms are included in the youth center. Additional space has been designated to support hourly drop-in care for children ages six-weeks to four years old.
The new MCAS Miramar Youth Center will be Silver Certified as “high performing” by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building System.
“The ground breaking ceremony was special because it reminded us of why we are working, for all the kids,” said Walter Chan, NAVFAC Southwest resident officer in charge of construction (ROICC) Miramar construction manager.
Soltek team members include: Steve Thompson, Managing Corporate Officer; Glenn Miller, Design Project Manager; Mark Hussey, Project Manager; Ray Hamelin, Superintendent; John Doepke, CQC; and Susan Mineo, Project Coordinator.