European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday Auguste 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 3millions spent on 2 bases due to close by Meridith Winder . Bureau Over the last five years the United states and nato have spent More than $50 million on construction and renovations at two  air bases in England that Are slated to be returned to the British government when the 81st tac fighter Wing deactivates in 1993. A Community Center a Bank a shopping mall and a runway Are among the High priced items that were budgeted for and built before the May 17 announcement that the United states was pulling out of Raf Benwa ters Woodbridge. The bases say Many who have lived and worked there needed major improvements. A nobody. Could have possibly perceived of the changes that have occurred in Europe and the resulting budget cuts a said an official with the military construction program in Washington ., who requested anonymity. A we did no to pour Money into a base we were going to close. Nobody knew. The decision to close those bases and to Cut funding has been made in the last year or so. No one could have predicted  the disposition of the twin bases is still up in the air according to British ministry of defense officials. Each base is looked at on a Case by Case basis and ministry officials said they have not yet begun to consider the bases future. Options include retaining All the land and buildings for future use bringing in a British military unit or Selling off selected parts of the property a including the buildings a to either private concerns or local governments. Local communities near Ben Waters Woodbridge with the help of private companies Are also rethinking plans to spend Money on Road improvements that had been proposed to handle heavy traffic from both bases. A we had planned on spending 1 million pounds $1.7 million on the a12 a major Highway Between the town of Woodbridge and the bases a said Don Ayre assistant county planning officer for Suffolk county Council. The bases Are located in Suffolk county in England a East Anglia Region. A but with this announcement on the americans pulling out we be put the construction on  private companies involved in construction projects at the twin bases already had spent More than 500,000 pounds $850,000 on the a1152, a major Road that runs Between Bent Waters Domestic and Industrial Sites. The Domestic area is where some housing shopping and recreation facilities Are located. The Industrial site contains warehouses maintenance the flight line aircraft shelters and other Mission essential buildings. But the effects Arentt limited to Quality of life improvements that have already been paid for. According to economic Impact statements issued by the air Force the payroll for Ben Waters and Woodbridge amounts to More than $70 million annually. A the Impact will be Felt Over a wide area a Ayre said. A we Are concerned about employment and major purchases of goods. But our experience is that most of the americans shop on base. However local services will be affected. The service Industry will feel the most Impact.�?�. There May be one plus to the americans departure however say local planning officials. A we have nearly 2,000 people waiting to get rental housing and we re understandably interested in what properties become available a said Jeremy Scholfield director of planning services for Suffolk coastal District Council. Added Ayre a the departure of the americans from i Ben Waters construction projects i description Cost comp Date repair warehouses $280,800 unknown repair traffic management offices $405,700 sept. 30, 1988 alter renovate dormitories $3.9 million March 15,1990 landscape $370,900 june 15,1990 repair Rod and gun club building $241,200 june 15. 1990 build equipment a storage facility Altor a Nair fint to Milane $253,800 unknown a. Wit a up diff Mun Uius operations shop $922,300 Jan. 15, 1990 build flammable storage facility $203,600 july 30, 1990 i building air conditioning Plant $406,200 feb. 15, 1990 repair maintenance computer facility $457,900 feb. 15, 1990 repair add to control Tower $318,000 oct. 22, 1990 i Security measures main Gate $211,800 . 15, 1989 i replace perimeter fencing $477,000 . 15, 1989 i construct disaster prep facility $211,000 i Vav Trevi apm Quot unknown. A a Oulu buy Ina Buica Ivy Lodge Gate $208,700 july 15, 1989 construct stars amp stripes Bookstore $225,000 Jan. 15. 1990 repair military family housing $586,100 october 1990 build family housing management office $330,000 May 30, 1990 consolidate Supply Center $6.2 million june 6, 1990 building engine noise suppressor facility $940,000 aug. 15, 1989 repair runway $6.2 million october 1988 renovate build enlisted open mess �?~$3.9 million sept. 1988 build Community Center $2.5 million May 18, 1991 build renovate by mall $3.9 million july 1988 renovate Bank $200,000 unknown building Burger King $1 million june 1987 add to aircraft engine shop $2.3 million unknown add renovate dining Hall $320,000 unknown repair add to Bowling Center $204,000 unknown i upgrade water Supply system $1.3 million unknown 1 repair hangar 45 $865,500 unknown i repair Berns at storage igloos $946,000 unknown repair multipurpose facility $1.1 million unknown it building vehicle maintenance Complex $5.4 million 1988 replace water tanks $501,000 unknown repair sewage treatment works $300,000 unknowns amps Ben Waters and Woodbridge will have a Large Impact on the rented housing Market. A Large number of americans approximately 1,800 live in rented housing and with them leaving this could have a beneficial effect on the rental  in addition people assigned to the 81st will leave behind 800-plus government owned and leased units. Some leased units Are still being built. A the amount of housing at both bases is amazing a Ayre said. A a it a disappointing that the construction should have gone  the construction he a referring to is 293 new houses being built by Yorkshire based mount Leigh grand co. Under an agreement with the air Force mount Leigh bought the land and built the Homes. The air Force agreed to lease the Homes for 10 years paying 550 pounds approximately $920 per month for each unit Woodbridge construction projects 1 description Cost comp Date construct contracting Tolice $211,100 unknown repair Security measures at main Gate $291,6000 . 15, 1989 install Security Fence $205,400 unknown repair renovate fire station $642,200 june 30, 1990 foreign objects prevention for runway $275,000 Jan. 15, 1990 maintain repair Airfield pavements $268,700 . 15, 1989 maintain roads family housing area $793,600 feb. 15, 1990 maintenance on exterior Walls housing $1.2 million unknown build fuel trucks shelter $484,700 june 15,1990 re Sheet roof on High school $468,700 aug. 15, 1990 repair exterior Walls elementary school $697,400 March 15, 1990 relocate boiler House $204,400 unknown maintain water tanks $292,700 unknown Oversheet hangar 202 $903,000 unknowns amps regardless of the number of bedrooms. The air Force is also paying 30 pounds $50 per month for each unit to cover maintenance. Construction started in april 1990. Mount Leigh is expected to have All the houses completed by october and base families will be moving in. Payments for the units Start after they arc occupied. Mount Leigh officials will also hold talks with the air Force to discuss any possible settlements under the lease. However company officials would not give further information on what terms they seek. The air Force also refused to comment except to say that negotiations will not begin until 1992. The last major construction project completed at the twin bases was the colonial Community Center located on Bent Waters Domestic site. At a Cost of nearly $2.5 million the 20,000-Squarc-foot building took 18 months to build. The Community Center features a conference room ballroom game rooms theater and music rooms. Also included is a closed circuit to system for Security. This allows Center employees to Monitor All the rooms when on duty. Eleven people work at the  Becker director of marketing for the morale welfare and recreation division at Ben Waters is on a second tour at Ben Waters with her husband. She said she personally was Happy to see improvements made at the twin bases. A a in a sad to see the . Pulling out but in a Happy to see the changes made at the bases a she said. A life has improved drastically from when we used to be Here. All of this construction was  when asked How they will consider future construction projects 3rd air Force officials issued this statement. A wish lists will be dealt with in the future the same As in the past with prudence a the statement said. A Money spent by . And nato to upgrade capability As Well As Quality of life in military installations is approved and committed several years prior to the Start of construction. The military Force Structure is continuously being reviewed to modernize forces eliminate duplication improve readiness provide Quality of life for personnel and most importantly to execute the  contributing to this report was stall writer Janot Howells torn of in Washington  Wing reflects on Job Well done before closure by Meridith Winder . Bureau Raf Ben Waters England understanding How a it base closure announcement affects morale leaders of the 81st tac fighter Wing based at Raf Ben Waters Are accentuating the positive. They re not pulling out a they won they say. A a we re talking about Mission completion a said master sgt. Domenick Donelli of the wings Public affairs office. A we Arentt getting fired or being closed Down because we did no to do our Job. We did the Job we got paid to do. Its time to go on to something  apparently the message is spreading As the Wing prepares for its 1993 deactivation. The a Mission completion theme was echoed throughout conversations with base members As they considered the future. A with Mission completion coming within the next couple of years we have to work harder than Ever before a said capt. David shuck the 81st comm Sqq a chief of air traffic operations. Quality of life is part of this push. Shuck said a a we re not going to let happen Here what May have happened at other bases where the morale May have dropped and they be had a lot of personnel problems. We re going to keep people focused on the Mission at hand and keep the Quality of life issues at the  but master sgt. Annie Johnson of the 81st civil engr so pointed out that preparing for a Mission completion and future prospects of staying in or advancing through the air Force Are worrying younger people. A a it a taking longer for the younger people to feel comfortable with these changes a Johnson said. A Pihis Mission completion is hitting them a lot harder than the older  getting information to those affected by upcoming changes As quickly As possible is crucial said senior master sgt. Booker Johnson first sergeant for the 81st Security police so and Annie Johnson a husband. A a lot of the information we Are getting is coming right after it leaves the conference rooms and Congress or wherever a he said. A sometimes you May not like what you hear. That a just the Way it