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Navy, HomePort Hampton Roads, Open First Unaccompanied Personnel Housing November 24, 2008 Navy, HomePort Hampton Roads, open first Unaccompanied Personnel Housing By MCSN Mandy Hunsucker NORFOLK — The first newly constructed Unaccompanied Personnel Housing Public Private Ventures (PPV) community project that the Navy and HomePort Hampton Roads, LLC have teamed up to create opened its doors during a ribbon cutting ceremony, Nov. 14. The community, currently called Camp Elmore Manor Homes, is located behind the Marine Corps Exchange at Naval Support Activity Norfolk. It contains 240 beds and currently houses approximately 98 Sailors. “We are very excited about these projects,” said Thomas Weber, director of operation HomePort Hampton Roads, LLC. “When you’re a young Sailor off duty, you don’t want to spend your free time stuck on the ship, so you go out. Sometimes that includes places where Sailors shouldn’t be. This project offers junior Sailors a home to go to and relax at the end of their day.” The Sailors that have already moved into the community agree the new units are a great addition. “After being on deployment for seven months, all I wanted to do was get away from the ship,” said Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Apprentice Sammy Gonzalez from guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56). “This place is a big difference from living on a ship. We have our own bedrooms and there’s a full kitchen, which is really nice. It feels like I’m at home.” The PPV projects throughout Hampton Roads are part of the Chief of Naval Operations directive “Sailor Ashore Program” and are designed to offer apartment-style living while saving Sailors and the Navy money. “Economically, everyone will be better off,” said Steve Crawford, a representative of Hunt/American Campus Communities, the parent company of HomePort Hampton Roads, LLC. “The Navy will save on the maintenance costs and the Sailors will have free luxuries while living in the barracks.” New community amenities include various fitness facilities indoors and out, picnic and bar-b-que areas, free cable and Internet and private baths in each bedroom, among many other things. The HomePort Hampton Roads PPV projects started in December 2007 and will be the culmination of a two-phase housing development that will provide 3,682 beds at the cost of $336 million. The projects include the initiation of management of seven existing buildings on Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Support Activity Norfolk. The future of military unaccompanied housing for the Navy will be realized with the addition of newly constructed mid-rise facility and manor homes at Camp Allen, Camp Elmore and Newport News, bringing a total of 2,367 brand new accommodations for Sailors E-1 to E-3 and E-4 with under four years active duty service. For more information on the PPV projects visit the HomePort Hampton Roads, LLC website at www.homeporthr.com or call (402-4216 to speak with a representative. You can also visit HomePort Hampton Roads, LLC offices located in building U-16 on board Naval Station Norfolk. |
