Photo Story: Contractors move third World War II-era barracks to new location

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Contractors with JMJ Construction of New Lisbon, Wis., along with support from Heritage Movers of Blue River, Wis., begin to move a third World War II-era building from the 1600 block on the cantonment area to the 1800 block April 3, 2023, at Fort McCoy, Wis. The contractors are relocating and repairing four barracks buildings from the 1600 block of Fort McCoy's cantonment area to alternate locations in the 1700, 1800, and 2800 blocks, according to the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works. The plan is to relocate the buildings to the new locations, then lift them onto the new foundations and complete the remaining work by summer 2023. This is the first time in Fort McCoy's history that barracks buildings are moved like this and saved for reuse. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

04.17.2023

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                               

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Contractors with JMJ Construction of New Lisbon, Wis., along with support from Heritage Movers of Blue River, Wis., began to move a third World War II-era building from the 1600 block on the cantonment area to the 1800 block April 3, 2023, at Fort McCoy, Wis.

The contractors are relocating and repairing four barracks buildings from the 1600 block of Fort McCoy's cantonment area to alternate locations in the 1700, 1800, and 2800 blocks, according to the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW).

The plan is to relocate the buildings to the new locations, then lift them onto the new foundations and complete the remaining work by summer 2023.

This was the first time in Fort McCoy's history that barracks buildings are moved like this and saved for reuse.

And there’s still work to be done on those four barracks after the moves. DPW officials said the contract scope of work shows that in addition to moving the buildings to their new locations, the work includes building new concrete foundations, installing new furnaces, hot water heaters, and completing site work such as installing utilities and completing grading and sidewalks.

“The contract scope of work also includes repairs to anything damaged during transport,” said DPW Construction Inspection Branch Chief Dan Hanson. “The plan is to relocate the buildings to the new locations … then lift them onto the new foundations and complete the remaining work by this summer.”

The old barracks were among more than 1,500 buildings constructed by more than 8,000 workers in 1942, which took nine months to complete at a cost of $30 million (approximately $545 million today). The triangular share of the cantonment area, or the “triad,” was designed to allow troop units to live and train efficiently under one headquarters.

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.

The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.

Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.

• Date Taken: 04.17.2023
• Date Posted: 04.17.2023 10:45
• Story ID: 442728
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US