JBLM becoming community for military families

Army wife Tatiana Robles said she doesn't worry about getting stuck on Interstate 5. She and her husband chose to live in a neighborhood on Joint Base Lewis-McChord where cars are just about optional.

They moved last month into the base's Town Center, a 220-unit townhouse and apartment complex that's designed to be the hub for the base's "downtown."

So far, a commissary, post exchange, gym and parks are located nearby. Recently refurbished bowling lanes, a spruced-up skating rink and a renovated movie theater are within walking distance, too.

"I like it because everything's new," said Robles, 30, as she came home from a walk earlier this week with her 1-year-old son. "It's convenient. I like the location; everything's close."

The surge in construction of housing and lifestyle amenities at Lewis-McChord follows eight years of rapid growth at the base. More than 33,000 active-duty soldiers are stationed there today, up from 19,000 in 2003.

Military leaders say they're catching up with the population growth by refurbishing everything from skeet ranges to day-care centers.

One of the biggest planned changes is known as Freedom Crossing, a $100 million expansion of the base's commissary and post exchange. A project of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, it's expected to open in 2013 with restaurants and clothing stores.

AAFES opened a similar project in Fort Bliss, Texas, late last year. It has met with positive reviews from soldiers and families shopping there.

"It has become a true gathering spot for entertainment, dining and shopping," said Joe Giuffreda, and AAFES vice president. "We foresee Freedom Crossing at JBLM as a great benefit to the overall morale of all the soldiers, their families and retirees."

The expansion would funnel hundreds of millions of construction dollars into the South Sound economy. But Freedom Crossing also worries some neighboring communities who fear they'll lose revenue if military families spend more time and money at the base.

"I just can't believe we can't have some say on whether or not the Army undercuts our economy," Lakewood City Councilman Walter Neary said as AAFES started showing the proposal two years ago. He didn't return a reporter's call for comment this week.

Lakewood officials have learned more about the project since those early days. They still have reservations, but recognize that soldiers should have a place to relax on base, Lakewood spokesman Jeff Brewster said Thursday.

"Lakewood is pretty much resigned to the fact that it's going to happen and we're taking a wait-and-see attitude," Brewster said.

The Army makes no secret of the fact that keeping people on base is one of its objectives.

Lewis-McChord is winning plaudits from the Pentagon for its centralized housing and shopping plans. The Defense Department this week gave the base an environmental award in part to recognize its plans to create a "holistic" neighborhood at Town Center that reduces traffic and pollution by minimizing car trips.

That model is already unfolding at Lewis-North, a wing of the base north of I-5. About 40 percent of the base's residents live there, and until recently they had to drive to the central base for gas, food or the better gyms.

Now Lewis-North has a gas station, food court, a new dining facility and improved athletic centers. It's also the spot where a $10 million Warrior Zone is expected to open late this year, catering to single soldiers with entertainment and food.

"There's a lot of improvements going on everywhere," said Sgt. 1st Class John Mack, 37, during a lunchtime break at the base's refurbished bowling alley this week. He noticed the North Lewis amenities are often packed.

Base leaders say they have a responsibility to create a community for the 25,000 people who live there, including thousands of dependents under the age of 18.

"This installation isn't just a place to work," said Greta Powell, the base's housing director. "It's a place to live, work and play, and particularly for those 7,000 kids, it's really important that this is their home."

Col. Thomas Brittain, the base's commander, said the growth at Lewis-McChord seemed to sneak up even on the military. At first, he said, planners thought the base could generally make do with the services and facilities they had.

"Then we came to the realization that our infrastructure and our services needed to grow," he said.

Powell said people who lived and worked at the base didn't necessarily notice all the growth while it happened. Until last year, the base's largest units were continually cycling through combat deployments. Now, nearly all of Lewis-McChord's troops are home.

She said the base expects to reach its target for building new housing by 2018, giving it 4,994 units. After that, it would only renovate its inventory.

Other construction likely will take place at the Army air field, where a new combat aviation brigade is expected to set up shop starting later this year. Lewis-McChord Public Works Director Tom Tolan said a row of headquarters buildings and 1950s-era dorms also are in line for replacement.

Tolan said it's not clear yet whether calls for military spending cuts will slow some of those plans. He's said he's confident that the base's construction plans through 2013 are locked in. Brittain said he's working on plans to continue the lifestyle improvements for the next five years.

Army spouse Kristina Carrillo looks forward to more amenities. She lives in Town Center and peeks out of her apartment every day to check on the progress of the nearly finished park where she wants to take her 18-month-old son, Aiden. In the meantime, they go on walks with her neighbors.

"It's actually more than I expected," Carrillo, 20, said, comparing Lewis-McChord to her experience living in Army housing in South Korea. "There's plenty of stuff to do."

---

Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com