European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday March 30, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 it _ _ trashed base gets a new shiny face by Mark Moore so of writer Hahn a West Germany it. Col. Hunters Hopson had a Choice to make in 1987 take an assignment As Hahn a s lop civil Engineer or Dpi for another base at Hahn he saw what he would be responsible far rundown dormitories a Tat up family housing area and drab chipped stucco buildings. To him it was a Challenge so Hahn was Hopson s Choice. Senior airman Elizabeth Otis did t have a Choice in 1987 when she was assigned to inc base. And she had ii different first reaction the base in her. Words was ugly. "1 thought of god. I did some thing wrong somewhere to be sen i Here " today about 18 months later Hahn has changed. Five dormitories arc being renovated and nine new dormitories Are under construction. Family housing is citing a much needed face lift which covers everything from sidewalks and curbs to the kitchens and toilets. Two More family housing areas Are under construction in the nearby towns of Sohren and Kasil Laun. Cal up warehouses and office buildings have been spruced up inside and out As part of a is Mil lion up Tonc painting project that included hew Coats of color for everything from offices to the backs of Stop signs. Construction on an $18.5 million addition to the base Hospital is to begin in May. Hahn High school is gelling a j3.8 million addition that will include a new multipurpose room. Construction on a $ 1.1 Mil lion Burger King begins in april. A $766,000 Reno vation is underway at the base theater. In ill construction under Way totals $106 8 million Hopson said. When construction is completed at Hahn in 1990, 90 percent of the base s 2,975 single and unaccompanied people in grades e-6 and below will live on base a spokesman said. Throughout Safe �7 per cent of single and unaccompanied airmen Mil be Able to live on base after the command s ass million dormitory construction program is Complete in 1990. For Otis a clerk in the Josh he so orderly room and airman Joe Hanna a document Security clerk life in the dorm today is Fine. But a few months ago things were different Oti first impression of her dormitory that place was  Hauna had a similar reaction he said the i uni lure was falling apart some windows were broken. And taped and there were Community bathrooms. Noise poured in from inc nest room and there was no privacy. You had a Wall locker built into the Wall so when you opened your locker  the next room Hanna said. You could hear neighbors talking and the to  the new dorm design did away with built in lock ers and also phased out the Community bathrooms. Hanna said he sometimes had to wait 30 minutes Tor a turn in the Shower.  and his Roommate Shore a bathroom connected to the room next door. Outside entrances to each dorm room Iri the new building have dramatically improved privacy if you have a Bat Day at work and need privacy you can go in your room and watch to or some thing Hanna said. In the old dorm. Hanna said. Neighbors would be in the hallway  without the hallway you Don l have people wanting to play knee football. While you re trying to sleep said tech. Sgt. Chuck d. Hanlon the non commissioned officer in charge of billeting. Even if offered a Chance to move off base Hanna and Otis said they would slay in la dorm it s like your own Little apart men i Otis said. And there is a laundry list of other improvements an Cable Antenna a Telephone Hookup and 110 Volt and 220-Voll electricity that eliminates the need for transformers. You be got a Telephone television and a Bath room Hanna said. All j of need is a  Hahn s new Homey look in t confined to the Dor Minorics. Safe has received about s90 million for l,2h family housing units under the military construction program that will allow . Forces to own the houses after construction said Anthony a Ufray Safe acting director of engineering and construction. Hahn s piece of the pie will be js2 units at a Cost of $33 million. Pitburg a is the Only other base in West Ger Many with family housing currently being built. A program for Kapaun air station near Kaisor stau Lem West Germany has been funded but cons Nic Tion is not expected to Start in the near future a command spokesman said. The situation at Hahn is a far cry from Whin Hup son first saw in 1987, when he was shown where he would be living he was appalled. If had not been conscious of inc people around me i would have sat on the curb and  he said. Big chunks of stucco were missing from the sides of buildings sidewalks had More grass than Concrete curbs were nearly even with  and. Play ground equipment was broken and in some cases unusable. Residents almost always knew we Iii neigh Bors were leaving or arriving because noise easily made it into individual apartments. Inside Kitchen cabinets needed replacing washers and dryers were located in the basements and shared by As Many As eight families Large families went through the rituals of sharing a single bathroom and 220 Voll electricity was the Rule. A renovation project Hopson inherited when he arrived allowed for some improvement but it meant another renovation to do it right Hopson said. The final face lift involves 36 housing units at i Cost of about sj4 ,.washcrs arid dryers that were moved from the Community laundry rooms into each unit s already crowded Kitchen arc being placed in a separate unit room Hopson Calls a wet  a bathroom is being added to the master bed room and existing bathrooms arc being gutted and replaced with new tubs toilets and sinks kitchens have been redesigned to accommodate More Cabinet space new sinks and new dishwashers. Mapson said entry doors Are being replaced to provide better sound insulation. The chunks of stucco missing from the exterior of the apartment buildings arc being replaced and the buildings arc getting a fresh coat of paint. The Side walks curbs and parking areas Are being torn up and replaced. Hopson said the exterior face lift has a Sloo of per building Price tag. Children will be Able to play on s200.00q Worth of playground equipment Hopson said Hopson is convinced that the brighter colors Crisp landscaping and new facilities Are having an Impact. This whole business of making things look better is contagious he said negative comments Hopson heard about the base and the surroundings when he first arrived have All but disappeared. You could Sec the smiles return to their faces " he said. And nobody asks me Why we paint the Back of Stop signs anymore