Groundbreaking Held for New Seabee Headquarters

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- The 1st Naval Construction Division (1NCD) broke ground at a new headquarters building at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va., Nov. 30.

The 28,330-square foot Operations Control Facility will provide the staff with improved functional work spaces to support subordinate naval construction force units in order to meet the operational needs of Seabees deployed around the globe.

The lead contractor for the $9.03 million contract is Noah Enterprises.

Participants in the groundbreaking ceremony were Rear Adm. Mark Handley, commander, 1st Naval Construction Division; Capt. Charles Stuppard, commanding officer, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story; Capt. Mark Libonate, commanding officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic; and Carol Curtis, president, Noah Enterprises, Inc.

The new building is scheduled for occupancy in March 2012 and will replace the current 1NCD building, which was originally built as a temporary barracks in 1943. A February 2008 audit determined that the facility must be vacated and demolished due to extensive deterioration. Leased trailers are currently used to accommodate part of the staff.

1NCD oversees more than 16,000 U.S. Navy Seabees who deploy worldwide to provide military construction support and humanitarian assistance. The mission of 1NCD is to organize, train, operate and maintain the naval construction force, to command and control naval construction regiments and Seabee readiness groups and to develop, coordinate and implement policy and requirements to man, equip and train Seabees.

For more news from Commander, 1st Naval Construction Division, visit www.navy.mil/local/1ncd/.