LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Not even the rain could put a damper on the news coming out of 2703 Timothy Weiner Drive: 67 new homes are ready and waiting for Airmen and their families to move in.
Col. Patrick Fogarty, 802nd Mission Support Group commander, spoke at the ribbon cutting on Berky Heights, Lackland's newest housing development, May 14 in front of an audience of developer and construction management, Airmen and base leadership. Guests were invited to tour a completed home to get a sense of the quality and construction of the 324 new residences that will be completed by 2013. To many, that quality was evident, despite the newness of the housing privatization process.
"The Air Force is still in the housing business even in privatization," said Colonel Fogarty. "We did not outsource housing or sell off our housing or give away our housing to someone else. The Air Force is still responsible for the quality of the housing we provide.
"You can't stress enough, as you go through this house, what a great job and what a great decision it was to join in partnership with [Balfour Beatty Communities] and [The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment] to get what we have here today," the colonel said. "It's a really outstanding job."
The three- and four-bedroom homes that line the drive with blue, taupe, gray and tan exteriors come equipped with energy efficient appliances, spacious layouts and newly manicured lawns. The communities will also feature a new center with a pool and volleyball courts, and play yards and walking trails dispersed throughout the development.
Ian Smith, deputy division chief of housing privatization AFCEE, said the completion of the housing community comes at a great time for the Air Force and the Airmen stationed here.
"Through initiatives like The Year of the Air Force Family, the Air Force has increased their focus on improving conditions for our families," Mr. Smith said.
"By partnering with firms like Balfour Beatty Communities, we have been able to provide our families better homes much more quickly than traditional military construction. It's hard to believe that just 12 months ago we were all at a groundbreaking ceremony to start this process ... we've come a long way in the intervening time."
During the ceremony, Colonel Fogarty informed the audience that the street names in the community will all be named after Airmen who lost their lives in service to the nation.
"We can't stress this enough, as we talk about the sacrifices made every day," Colonel Fogarty said. "We are naming the streets and housing areas after [Airmen] to really show honor and respect to those who have served and those who serve today. They deserve this quality housing."
Berky Heights is named after Staff Sgt. Bryan Berky, an explosive ordnance disposal Airman killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009.
Lackland's newest drive is named after Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner, also an EOD Airman who was killed in action in 2007 while performing duties in Iraq.
Two hundred and sixty three more homes are currently being constructed on Lackland.