GMH, Sheppard team up to demolish sub-standard housing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Corbin
  • 82nd Training Wing public affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  As the metallic claw rips through the house, tearing apart concrete and wood, the operator smiles and the assembled crowd watches in awe. The sounds of glass shattering and equipment rumbling herald the beginning of something new at Sheppard.

It is the end of an era at Sheppard, as Brig. Gen. Richard Devereaux gave the contractors behind the demolition of Wherry housing a hand.

General Devereaux was behind the controls of the Caterpillar excavator, with clamshell attachment, as part of GMH Military Housing's groundbreaking and demolition ceremony May 15.

"Our goal for all of Sheppard housing is to improve the quality of the housing for Airmen and their families, and to provide safe, affordable housing like you'd find off base," said Bob Rulli, regional project director with GMH Military Housing.

The construction will begin with new officer and senior enlisted homes in Wherry, and will continue with renovations in Capehart housing and continue with a combination of renovations and new construction in Bunkerhill housing.

"We at Sheppard are committed to a long-term relationship with GMH," General Devereaux said. "We are going to see a bunch of houses crashing down, and 39 new ones going up by December. The reality is our tax dollars alone could not have financed this kind of undertaking . Only through this joint venture, this partnership with GMH, will that dream become a reality."

Over the next four years and at a cost of $175 million, GMH will work towards its goal of improving the quality of life for Sheppard Airmen, with the construction of 379 new homes and the renovation of 500 existing houses.

The home that will one day replace what the general started to demolish May 15, is one of 211 three-and four-bedroom family houses. Like the other homes to-be-built across Sheppard, it will feature many home amenities, including full-equipped kitchens, central heat and air, and attached garages.

GMH doesn't hope to improve the quality of life through just new homes though.

Kathleen Grim, vice president of marketing with GMH military housing, said their mission is to "build a community, not just a home."

GMH plans to do this through their "life works" program with construction of a new community center and neighborhood playground, and numerous community events. Some of the future events include cooking classes and child-care classes.

The general kept tearing down the aged house for a few minutes, no doubt enjoying his time behind the controls.

"It's almost as fun as flying an airplane," he said. "But I think I'll stick to my day job."

As he climbed out of the huge machine, General Devereaux's face showed not only his awe and enjoyment at operating it, but the promise of the future for Sheppard. That future will truly begin in 2008, when the first Sheppard families are expected to move into the newly constructed homes.