The Air Force Academy estimates over time that one of its two dormitories will need almost $600 million to remodel.
Sijan Hall, built in 1968, is expected to need a major remodel to upgrade its heating, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems. It also needs work to renovate window walls, bathrooms, cadet rooms and workspaces, an academy spokesman said. It’s a six-story building with 625,000 square feet housing 891 dorm rooms.
The academy expects the work on the building could take place over five phases and cost $597 million, a written statement said.
The dorm’s needs were raised in a Wednesday meeting of the Board of Visitors at the Academy. The board includes members of Congress, who can ask questions about academy operations.
Patrick Flood, representing U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R- Neb., highlighted some his concerns about the building based on an earlier tour.
“The herculean efforts the team has to go through just to keep mechanical systems functioning is not something we should be accepting as a status quo of operation,” he said.
Col. Amy Glisson, the installation commander, pointed out in her presentation that keeping the dorm up to date is key to recruiting cadets.
“We are trying to compete against the Princetons and Harvards for talent,” she said.
At the same time, barracks across the Department of Defense are in need of upgrades, an issue lawmakers are planning to tackle, Flood said.
A 2023 Government Accountability Office…
