Picerne Military Housing Awarded $72M Public-Private Partnership Development with the U.S. Army
Picerne Military Housing recently closed on a $72 million public-private partnership deal on Reece Crossings at Fort Meade in Maryland.
By Jessica Fiur, News Editor
Fort George G. Meade, Md.—Picerne Military Housing, a division of the Corvias Group, has recently closed on a $72 million public-private partnership deal on Reece Crossings at Fort Meade in Maryland. This is the U.S. Army’s first ever privately developed, on-post community, and it will house more than 1,400 unaccompanied junior enlisted soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen.
“The RCI partnership, an award winning and proven program, allowed us to solve an immediate problem for the Army,” Lynn Fossum, EVP of government relations at Picerne Military Housing, tells MHN. “Until December 14, 2012, there was no other solution for these 1,400 single junior enlisted service members who were living up to 30 miles away from Fort Meade, yet required to report every morning for PT, perform their job, and finally drive home in the greater Baltimore traffic. The Government will not commit any equity to the project. Within 12 months, this 50 year public-private partnership solution offers the opportunity for these young service members to live on Fort Meade in a modern, secure environment and guarantees the sustainability of the project.”
Reece Crossings, a garden-style community with 14 buildings, will feature 432 one- and two-bedroom apartments with 816 beds. The apartments will include large kitchens with a breakfast bar and full-size appliances and a laundry room with a washer and dryer, as well as free cable, high-speed Internet and utilities. The master suites include individual bathrooms, walk-in closets, personal climate controls and secure storage for military gear. The apartments will also come furnished with a sofa, media cabinet, coffee table, queen-sized bed, desk and nightstand.
Community amenities, which are geared towards the junior service members, include a weight lifting and fitness room; clubroom with flat-screen TVs, sports ticker and video games; a cyber café with charging stations; basketball and sand volleyball courts; lap pool; and an outdoor grilling area.
“The apartment community is designed to encourage socialization and interaction between the service members through the use of large gathering spaces, interactive activities and specialty fitness facilities targeted to the unique needs of the service members,” Mike Steiner, managing director of Picerne Military Housing, tells MHN. “These apartments are a lease by the individual room to meet the unique relocation needs of the military professional.”
The community also features green elements. Reece Crossings has been designed to achieve LEED Silver. It features storm-water management techniques such as bio filtration facilities and rain gardens. Additionally, Reece Crossings will use low-flow toilets, faucets and showers, as well as Energy Star appliances. Reece Crossings will also be constructed using recycled, low-maintenance, regional materials.
“These apartments accommodate the modern day, young, single service member’s needs of a place they can call home, a place near work, a place that is secure, and a place they can relax,” Fossum says. “Creating better living conditions for our single junior enlisted soldiers greatly fosters unit cohesion, morale and camaraderie, while reducing isolation and enhancing soldier retention.”
