NAVFAC Southwest joined representatives from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Installations West, and Navy Region Southwest to celebrate the completion and grand opening of a new Child Development Center (CDC) aboard MCAS Miramar.
Speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included Rear Adm. Brad Rosen, Commander, Navy Region Southwest, Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Maj. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, Commanding Officer of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and Col. Marty Bedell, Commanding Officer of MCAS Miramar.
The new childcare facility consists of two single-story buildings that occupy more than 62,000 square feet. Combined the side-by-side facilities house 37 classrooms that will serve more than 450 children between the ages of six weeks and five years.
The $37.4 million project was built by RQ Construction and made possible thanks to military construction funding appropriated via special congressional action.
Construction during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic led to numerous supply chain challenges. To mitigate delays, Facilities Engineering and Acquisition Division, Miramar partnered with RQ Construction to develop creative construction phasing solutions, enabling the on-time completion in October 2023.
“I am proud of our contracting partner, RQ Construction and the NAVFAC Southwest team, including design manager Michelle Puentespina, project manager Pete Wurst, as well as construction manager Lubna Kahlil and engineering technician Alberto Diaz, who worked tirelessly developing and executing solutions to various COVID-19 pandemic challenges, to get this much-needed facility done,” said Capt. Laurie Scott, NAVFAC Southwest Commanding Officer. “This new state-of-the-art CDC provides a safe and modern facility for the children of our Sailors and Marines to learn and grow allowing parents the peace of mind to focus on their important jobs.”
This new CDC is the largest of its kind in Navy Region Southwest and was designed to meet the highest standards of quality and safety. The building has also achieved LEED Silver certification, distinguishing it as an environmentally responsible construction project.