PEARL HARBOR—Final inspections were completed on Sept. 14 by personnel from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii and Navy Exchange Command (NEXCOM) for the new NEX Fleet Store and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) ticketing and recreation facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH).
“NEX wanted to get the new Fleet Store as close to the piers as possible to make it convenient for the Sailor,” said James Weschler project architect for NEXCOM – West Coast and Pearl Harbor. “We also needed a piece of property big enough to build a facility that could house both NEX and MWR operations and provide plenty of parking.”
The $11.4 million design-build contract, awarded by NAVFAC Hawaii to Nan, Inc. in August 2008, broke ground near Bravo Piers in February 2009. The new 24,036 sq. ft. facility was built in compliance with historic preservation guidelines and sustainable design principles.
The project’s completion date shifted from May to September 2010 to accommodate a NEXCOM-wide initiative to make future Mini Marts floor plans more open.
“The original plan for this Fleet Store had the Mini Mart and Fleet Store areas as separate,” said Weschler. “That configuration has been changed and we now have a new ‘open plan’ concept being deployed throughout NEX properties worldwide to make it easier for customers to move from one area to another.”
Once the tenants are in place, this new NEX Fleet Store on JBPHH will house a NEX Mini Mart, barbershop, uniform and tailor shop with dry cleaning and laundry amenities, food court, and rental car outlet. In addition, shipboard sailors will also benefit from having a MWR Information Tickets & Travel (ITT) Office and Outdoor Adventure Center for gear rental close by.
After the facility’s businesses move in, NEXCOM plans to host a grand opening in November 2010.
The completion of this project marks the second contract executed by NAVFAC Hawaii benefiting the Navy Exchange this year, with Phase II of a large xeriscape effort recently finished in August.
Submitted by Denise Emsley, Public Affairs Officer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command