PHILADELPHIA –
A ceremonial groundbreaking officially began the construction of a new headquarters facility for the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support June 26.
The ceremony was held in front of the current headquarters, across the street from the fenced-in construction zone where work began two weeks prior. A few minutes before the ceremony, an excavator maneuvered around mounds of dirt on flattened ground of what used to be a parking lot.
DLA Troop Support has been a part of Naval Support Activity Philadelphia for over five decades, Army Brig. Gen. Charles Hamilton, DLA Troop Support commander, said. The new construction reflects the evolution of the organization, from depot operations to procuring more than $14 billion worth of materiel for the military and other customers in 2016.
Construction on the four-story headquarters is expected to be complete in the summer of 2019. The contract for the $47 million project was awarded to Philadelphia-area firm Daniel J. Keating Company. The building will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified.
“The project impacts everyone on base,” Navy Capt. Rudy Geisler, NSA Mechanicsburg-Philadelphia commander, said. He also thanked those who worked behind the scenes to get the necessary permits and helped ensure the project got started.
Representatives of two local politicians attended the ceremony: Anthony Luker, from the office of Congressman Brendan Boyle; and Andrew Dalzell, who represented Pennsylvania state Representative Jared Solomon.
“The efforts of DLA Troop Support are pivotal to the success of our military,” said Luker. “It’s an honor to host your operations here in Philadelphia.”
Visit the DLA Troop Support website for updates on the project.