Naval Academy Holds Ceremonies for Bancroft Recapitalization and Installation Resiliency
POSTED ON: Friday, August 30, 2024 2:59 PM by mediarelations@usna.edu
On August 30th, the Naval Academy held a “First Nail” groundbreaking ceremony in T-Court for the Bancroft Hall Recapitalization (renovation) Program, followed by a ribbon cutting near Triton Light for the completion of the Farragut Seawall reconstruction, the first project of the Installation Resiliency Plan approved in 2022.
The two ceremonies featured remarks and attendance from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment (EI&E) Meredith Berger, United States Naval Academy (USNA) Superintendent Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, City of Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, and other distinguished guests and key personnel who are essential to the development of both projects.
The Bancroft Recapitalization Program will repair the steps and interior of the center section of Bancroft Hall, as well as all eight wings of the dormitory to include HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection, building exterior, and interior finishes. The project will be completed through a series of integrated projects that will span approximately 15 years.
Secretary Del Toro said, “As a former Midshipman who resided in Bancroft Hall, I am excited about the many renovations that will improve the campus experience for the Brigade of Midshipmen and for thousands of Naval Academy visitors. This is about taking care of our people and ensuring they have modern barracks facilities in which to learn, train and prepare for future naval service.”
The first phase of construction that was awarded to Consigli Construction Co., Inc., a 5th generation, 100% employee-owned leading construction manager in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, will focus on the center section of stairs leading up to Bancroft Hall and deteriorated paint and plaster in the Rotunda. This phase also includes increasing berthing in wings two through eight in order to provide flexibility and prepare to relocate midshipmen in the follow-on phases. The first phase is expected to be completed in 2026.
“Consigli is excited to embark on another major renovation project here at the Naval Academy following our work at MacDonough Hall,” said Phil Brault, regional director of Consigli Construction Co. “It is truly special to not only be a part of the Bancroft Hall Recapitalization Program, but to be the ones to kick it all off and be able to lead the preservation efforts in some of the most beautiful and cherished spaces on campus.”
Bancroft Hall is named for Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, founder of the Naval Academy, and is the dormitory that houses the entire Brigade of Midshipmen. With its 33 acres of floor space and 4.8 miles of corridors, it is considered the largest single college dormitory in the world. It was designed by architect Ernest Flagg and completed in 1908. The original building included the center section that still houses the Rotunda and Memorial Hall, and a single wing on either side. It has expanded over the years to include eight wings. The last major phased renovation of Bancroft Hall was from 1995 to 2002.
“This is the start of a series of phased renovations to ensure that Bancroft Hall can continue to welcome our future generations of midshipmen and truly accomplish our mission,” said Vice Adm. Davids. “These renovations help ensure that the home of our midshipmen and the very heart of our Academy are preserved for years to come.”
The Bancroft Hall renovation will affect areas normally open to the public, including the exterior steps, the Rotunda, and Memorial Hall, and will be closed for a period of time as they are repaired.
Following the Bancroft ‘first nail’ ceremony in T-Court, guests moved to the Farragut Seawall ribbon-cutting. This ceremony signified the successful completion of the first project of improvements that are part of the Naval Academy Installation Resiliency Plan published in 2022, and are in alignment with the Secretary of the Navy’s priorities.
“Part of building a climate-ready force means building resilience to ensure our forces and facilities, starting here at the Naval Academy, are mission-ready,” said the Honorable Meredith Berger. “This seawall not only protects against the threat, but is integrated across a larger plan that protects our education infrastructure and instills within our future leaders the importance of investing in resilience.”
In order to combat sea level rise, the scope of today’s completed project included construction of a new seawall from Robert Crown Sailing Center (including Santee Basin) to Triton Light, reconstructing and repaving Brownson and Turner Joy Roads on the north side of Farragut Field, and restoring the Class of 1945 sea gate to combat sea level rise.
“Naval Support Activity Annapolis is charged with supporting the Navy’s future leaders, and the increasingly common severe flooding at USNA creates significant challenges to this mission,” said Captain Chris Schwarz, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Annapolis. “Installation resilience means mission readiness, and today’s ribbon cutting is an important milestone in ensuring USNA is protected from sea level rise for decades to come. This is an investment in the Naval Academy’s climate resiliency, our nation’s future leaders, and our national security.”
In 2022, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington awarded the project to Cianbro Corporation of Pittsfield, Maine, one of America’s largest ESOP open-shop construction and construction services companies with clients in the healthcare, government, life science, scholastic, industrial, and entertainment & hospitality sectors.
The USNA Installation Resiliency Plan provides an integrated adaptation framework, project portfolio, and year-to-year execution strategy that will mitigate the combined effects of land subsidence, sea level rise, ground-water change, coastal flooding and storm surge, and inadequate stormwater management. Projects are requirements-based and will continue to be phased over time through to 2065.
The next project commences on August 30th when Ramsay Road will close to all vehicular and foot traffic to begin repairs to the road and raise the seawall. This project is estimated to span approximately 18 months. While the road is closed, a walking path will be available to enable visitors to visit the Columbarium niches.The Installation Resiliency Plan can be found here. Photos from both events have been posted in an album on our Flickr site. For more information about the Naval Academy, visit www.usna.edu and our Facebook page. Follow the links here for information about Consigli Construction and Cianbro Corporation.
Category: General Interest, Press Releases