Faced with the prospect of the closing of Naval Support Activity in Algiers, state and local officials developed a new plan with HRI/ECC, LLC for a Federal City at this site. Woodward Design+Build was chosen for the important first project, the construction of a new facility for the Marine Forces Reserve.

The new Marine Corps Support Facility, New Orleans is the end result. Serving as the national headquarters for the Marine Forces Reserve, the secure installation includes a 411,000-square-foot four-story main building, two-story band annex and detached warehouse. More than 190 concrete panels were poured, including panels as tall as 72 feet high and weighing more than 130,000 pounds. Progressive collapse avoidance requirements and other federal design criteria were met with tilt-up wall panels. Textured paint, intricate rustication patterns and cast-in thin brick accent this massive structure. Due to schedule and budget constraints, the use of tilt-up construction saved the owner $2 million and accelerated the schedule by three months.

The building has been certified LEED Silver and received numerous awards, including Consteel’s Building of the Year in Technical Innovation, the Tilt Up Concrete Association’s Award for Excellence, the Design Build Institute of America’s National Honor Award, and Engineering News Record Texas & Louisiana’s Best Government/Public Building Project and Best in Safety Project of 2012.