Renovated dorm brings quality of life improvements to Incirlik Airmen

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Gina McKeen
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Officials at Incirlik held a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially reopen a newly renovated dormitory here April 6.

The dorm was originally constructed in 1963 and had renovations valued at more than $1.7 million to keep up with the quality of life standards set by the Air Force.

These renovations will greatly improve the integrity in the dorms, and return temporarily converted housing units to the Incirlik community, CE officials said in a background paper on the renovation.

Construction began for the repair of dorm 880 Jan. 28, 2010, and was accepted by the government as final April 4, 2011. The renovation project included improvements to the roof, gutters and downspouts, installation of solar hot water heating systems, renovated picnic areas, replacement of all utility pipes, replacement of electrical panels, light fixtures, receptacles and communication outlets, and the installation of a new fire alarm and mass notification system.

Additionally, workers installed new showers, toilets, sinks, plumbing fixtures, ceramic tiles, towel bars and bathroom doors in the bathrooms and new carpet and baseboards, new integrated blackout blinds, built-in wall closet units and new appliances in the bedrooms.

Airmen from the maintenance squadron, the operations squadron and the American Forces Network-Incirlik will occupy the renovated dorm, and began moving in April 6.

This is the first renovation in a larger dormitory renovation plan developed here in 2008 and an area development plan completed in 2010. The plans seek to bring the dorms into compliance with the 2006 Dorm Design Guide, Air Force force protection requirements and the Turkish seismic code, civil engineering officials here said.

The plans include projects to replace all of Incirlik's dormitories with three newly designed facilities, CE officials said. The new design of the dorm features a "Dorms-4-Airmen" design in which every four rooms shares a common kitchen and living room area, and each room has a private bath and shower. The first of these dormitories is planned for fiscal 2014 with a planned completion in fiscal 2020.

The next phase of the plan is to renovate dorm 892 and complete the first of the new dormitories.

"The renovation of the dormitory 880 is the crucial first step in realizing the 39th Air Base wing's vision to improve quality of life for Incirlik Airmen," said Capt. Michael King, Quality Assurance flight commander for the 39th Civil Engineering Squadron. "The successful completion of this project would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of all involved."