LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va –
Two of Langley's Airman dormitories will receive needed upgrades during a two-year, $3 million renovation project, which began in late October.
Contractors will upgrade infrastructure and utilities in Olsavsky Hall, including replacement of railings, heating and air conditioning systems, and plumbing. In addition, improvements are scheduled for the dorm's laundry rooms, and additional kitchen space will be added.
The building, constructed in 1989, has experienced issues with mold and mildew in recent years as a result of problems with the HVAC systems. After removal of existing mold, new HVAC units will help stop the problem from reoccurring.
"The biggest improvement will be replacement of the HVAC systems. It'll make a huge difference," said Master Sgt. Tricia Evans, the 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron senior Airman dormitory leader. "It will make it so the Airmen who move in won't experience issues like others may have before."
Olsavsky Hall currently boasts only one kitchen area to serve all 148 rooms. The upgrades will at least double the amount of kitchen space, bringing the dorm closer to the standards set by newer dormitories at Langley.
The Olsavsky Hall renovations will take about one year. Afterward, the same renovations will be made to nearby Renna Hall, which is identical to Olsavsky in design and capacity.
Airmen living in the buildings will be moved temporarily to Boots Hall, which normally serves as Visiting Airman Quarters, until renovations are complete.
Eventually, the Air Force intends to refit all dormitories to meet the "Dorms For Airmen" concept, a floor plan in which four Airmen share a common area, featuring kitchen and laundry space, and have a personal bathroom in their living quarters. Langley's recently-constructed Williams Hall is an example of the DFA initiative.
"Every three years the Air Force sends a team of evaluators around to see how feasible it is to convert existing dorms to the Dorms For Airmen concept," said Evans. "While that is the new standard the Air Force has set, the upgrades we're doing now will make a significant increase in the quality of life for our Airmen."