Rebuilding the Coast Guard Station in Gulfport
Gulfport, Miss. - Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District, and U.S. Representative Gene Taylor, fourth district Mississippi (both center), along with other Coast Guard and local officials shovel the first loads of dirt at a ground-breaking ceremony here, to kick off the rebuilding process for Coast Guard Station Gulfport, April 28, 2007 Coast Guard photograph by Tom Atkeson
On Saturday April 28, Tesoro broke ground on a new design-build project in Gulfport, Mississippi. Slated for completion by October 2008, the new $15.4 million complex will replace the previous Coast Guard station that was demolished by hurricane Katrina in August of 2005.
Situated directly on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the historic Gulfport waterfront district, USCG Station Gulfport is considered a “multiple-mission” station and is manned 24 hours per day. The station’s responsibilities include search and rescue, border protection, small boat operations, law enforcement, and fisheries enforcement. Currently, personnel live in and conduct operations from a makeshift system of small trailers that are connected by wooden decks.
Tesoro is working closely with local officials, and the architect and designer of record to create an aesthetically pleasing facility that will withstand category four hurricane winds of 160 miles per hour, providing Coast Guard personnel a state-of-the-art environment in which to carry out their important missions.
To be constructed on a foundation of 155 concrete pilings, the project consists of a 3,300 square foot, five bay boat storage building and a three-story, 27,000 square foot main building that will house offices, maintenance and repair shops, weapons armories, communications rooms, galley and food preparation rooms, living/sleeping areas, numerous bathrooms and a fitness center. The first floor features “sacrificial” walls that will break away and detach from the main structure in the event of ocean surge flooding.
Tesoro will also construct a multi-purpose court for tennis, basketball and volleyball, a gazebo, and multiple parking areas and driveways. The entire facility will be enclosed by an ornamental security fence. Completion is scheduled for the summer of 2008.