The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, in conjunction with the Army Corps’ Louisville District, is completing a major $26 million renovation of the Caven Point U.S. Army Reserve Center in Jersey City, New Jersey ⎼ a training facility located across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan where soldiers train part-time for service in times of war, disaster or national emergency.
Nearing Completion
Renovations are expected to be complete later this fall and the building ready for occupancy shortly thereafter. Caven Point will be occupied by the Army Reserve’s 99th Readiness Division that includes many units. The facility, consisting of three connected buildings, has a new physical fitness center and an elevator (previously there was no elevator).
New York District Commander Col. Alexander Young said: “New York and Louisville are proud to oversee these pivotal upgrades for the Army Reserve Center. It’s vital that Soldiers have state-of-the-art facilities to train and prepare for deployment at any given time. The project is part of the Army Corps’ robust Military Construction mission.”
Renovations
During a recent site visit New York’s Resident Engineer Mr. Christopher Nastasi and Project Engineer Mr. Mina Tanyous provided a tour of the interior and exterior of the facility, pointing out elements of the renovations taking place. Some of them include:
● Demolition of existing bathrooms, plumbing, electric, communications and HVAC duct work
● New rooms layout, bathrooms with lockers and showers
● Electrical wiring replaced with a new electrical system
● New ceiling tiles, flooring and carpeting
● New fire alarm and fire-suppression system
● New boiler and transformer
● New roof and office furniture
● Exterior painting and signage
● New building addition housing a physical fitness facility
- Exterior site improvements
Project Delivery Team
The initiative is a collaborative effort by the Project Delivery Team ─ a group of interdisciplinary professionals that manage all aspects of the project ⎼ planning, design, contracting, construction, legal and finance. The team includes:
Kevin Merenda Area Engineer (New York)
Christopher Nastasi Resident Engineer/ACO (New York)
Tyler Finewood Project Engineer/COR (New York)
Mina Tanyous Project Engineer/COR (New York)
Samuel Dart Program Manager (Louisville)
Jonathan Cowen Project Manager (Louisville)
Jesse Scharlow Contracting Specialist (Louisville)
Daniel Netherton Project Engineer (Louisville)
Stephanie Kenett Electrical Engineer (Louisville)
Bruce Ealey Senior Project Engineer (Louisville)
Tim Redmon Lead Sr. Architectural Designer (AE Firm)
Partnership With Louisville District
The Army Corps’ Louisville District partnered with New York on this initiative. Louisville serves as National Program Manager for the U.S. Army and Air Force Reserve Military Construction Program, providing project management and planning support for Reserve centers across the U.S.
Louisville Project Manager Mr. Jonathan Cowen oversees the project with New York as part of the Nationwide Army Reserve program. He works closely with Bruce Ealey, senior project engineer, Stephanie Kenett, electrical engineer, and Daniel Netherton, project engineer. Cowen also leads the Project Delivery Team, manages the schedule and budget, updates leadership and customers, and is tasked with delivering a quality project safely and on time.
Cowen commented: “It’s been a great experience working alongside the New York District on this important renovation project in New Jersey. I worked closely with Chris Nastasi the USACE New York District Resident Engineer and ACO, and Mina Tanyous, the USACE New York District Project Engineer and Contractors’ Office Representative.…. our partnership ensures we’re delivering a quality facility that meets the needs of the Army Reserve and the soldiers who will train and work there for years to come.”
History
There’s a long history to the newly renovated facility in New Jersey. From the early 1900’s to the 1970’s the facility served as the Caven Point Army Depot, a large U.S. Army installation during World Wars I and II. Its proximity to rail networks and the ports of New York and New Jersey were ideal for marshalling troops and materials and served as a major embarkation and receiving point for U.S. Soldiers. Today nearly 170,000 U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers and 11,000 civilians have a footprint in the 50 states, five U.S. territories and 23 countries.