CORE Construction Services led work on the KSA Alliance-designed Armed Forces Reserve Center building at Camp Minden. The project included a two-story building with administrative and training space and a dining and drill hall area.
Located on a 27-acre site, the project provides a 89,964-sq-ft facility for the training and support of Louisiana National Guard's full-time, part-time and active duty personnel and soldiers.
The LEED Silver project made use of natural and regional materials and energy-efficient lighting as well as reduced environmental impact methods during construction.
Early design collaboration between the owner and architect ensured that the project would bid within budget for construction. Spaces were designed 5% under the program requirement. This provided value engineering that did not detract from the appearance or quality of the building. In addition, a competitive bid market resulted in the project being almost $7 million under budget.
The contractor, CORE Construction Services LLC, provided mock-up areas throughout construction to test the final look and feel of areas for each subcontractor before installation. This was critical when the contractor had to place new orders for the masonry units and colors due to different production runs from the supplier. That meant coordinating multiple quantities of materials at different stages to keep the schedule on track.
Both the building and the site incorporate Anti-Terrorism Force Protection. The building's location exceeds minimum standoff distances, allowing for the use of conventional construction techniques. The building is master planned to accommodate future expansion while maintaining stringent security requirements.
Key Players
General Contractor CORE Construction Services LLC, Harahan, La.
Owner Louisiana Army National Guard, New Orleans
Lead Design/Civil KSA Alliance Inc., Shreveport, La.
Structural S.E. Huey Co., Monroe, La.
MEP John J. Guth and Associates, Shreveport, La.
