Installation leaders improve housing, reduce inconveniences

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Elias Zani
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Eielson leaders held a town hall meeting for residents of the French Creek neighborhood on base to address the upcoming construction projects that will help bring reliable heat to older infrastructure.

"The goal of our first phase [of housing improvements] is to provide reliable heat to residents of French Creek and Moose Lake," said Col. Larry Rice, the 354th Mission Support Group commander. "These lines have caused a great deal of inconvenience for many people at 30 below in past years. This plan should mitigate these problems."

Leaders addressed the detailed plan regarding when and where construction will take place.

"Safety is my number one priority," Rice said. "Not just the safety of our contractors, but the safety of children in the area who could see the construction zone as a play area."

Rice recommended parents of children in the area talk to their kids from time to time during the project to remind them that playing in construction areas could lead to injury.

Due to the level of construction needed to make the complete repairs, residents were advised that there will be large impacts to traffic and parking.

To mitigate these issues, a centrally located parking lot will be provided for residents.

Residents were also advised that even through the careful work of contractors there is a higher level of risk for temporary water loss due to the proximity of other utilities.

Any intentional water or heat outages will be communicated to residents by base leadership and Corvias Military Living prior to scheduled work - unintentional outages will be communicated swiftly.

"After all of these upgrades are complete we are working to open unoccupied homes in the area to some unaccompanied Airmen as well as to members of the Air National Guard," said Josh Crawford, the Corvias Military Living program manager. "This should help those who want to get out of the dorms but still live on base to do that and possibly help lower the rent for those already in the area."

The housing infrastructure improvements could be just the beginning for extending the base housing usability as Eielson has been identified by the Air Force as the preferred alternative for placement of F-35A Lighting II aircraft.

Base housing residents are requested to remain patient as ongoing construction around base housing picks up in the coming months. Corvias Military Living can be reached at 372-2300 for more information.