Grand Forks AFB breaks ground on $14.2M renovation Published May 13, 2025 By Airman Nailah Pacheco 319th Reconnaissance Wing GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 319th Civil Engineer Squadron held a groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the beginning of the 67-year-old Bunch Hall Dormitory renovation project May, 7, 2025. The ceremony featured the construction-industry tradition of breaking ground with golden shovels, and commemorates the direct impact this project will have on first-term airmen residing in unaccompanied housing. The Bunch Hall Dormitory was constructed in 1958, and was last renovated in 1994. The building systems and the facility does not meet the current standards in modern Air Force and North Dakota building codes and regulations, driving the need for a full renovation. “This renovation will provide unaccompanied enlisted personnel with housing conducive to their rest, relaxation and personal well-being,” said Greg Sturdevant, the Architecture Project Manager for the 319th CES. To guide renovation efforts like this one, Grand Forks AFB utilizes a Dorm Master Plan, which serves as a comprehensive investment planning tool. The DMP incorporates assessments of facility conditions, campus planning strategies, dorm and housing inventories and current Air Force policy. For the Bunch Hall renovation, the DMP allocated $14.2 million in funding to support the project and ensure it aligns with long-term infrastructure and strategy plans. With the building’s structure remaining intact, the renovation will specifically focus on replacing finishes, doors, windows, building systems and internal infrastructure upgrades, all while preserving the brick and roof that was added in the last renovation. The main improvement for the project will be the transition from shared to private bathrooms for individual dorm rooms. The Air Force funding policy does not allow for room reconfigurations, however 319th Reconnaissance Wing contracting and civil engineer experts worked for two years with Air Combat Command A4 representatives pursuing an exception policy that was approved at the Air Staff level. “CE and CONS have a great work relationship with each other,” said Col. Reynaldo Champion, commander of the 319th Mission Support Group. “They make projects like this happen.” The 319th Civil Engineer Squadron developed and reviewed detailed plans to ensure the renovation meets mission needs, safety standards and regulations. Members from the 319th CES also coordinated with leadership, base agencies and civilian contractors to fine tune the renovation logistics and minimize impact to installation operations. The 319th Contracting Squadron executed a contract of $14.2 million in eight months, at the request of leadership to expedite the timeline. A normal timeline for a project this size takes anywhere from 12 to 18 months to execute. Over the course of eight months, Ms. Carly Larson, flight chief and Senior Airman Jhala Neupane, contract specialist, both assigned to the 319th CONS, expedited required documentation, market research and source selection to meet the abbreviated deadline. “This project will ultimately increase and support mission readiness of our airmen by providing state-of-the-art living conditions,” said Lt. Col William Bentley, the Commander of the 319th CES. The project will take about a year to complete, with the projected finish date set around March of 2026.