The Orlando office of VOA Associates Inc., architecture, planning and interior design, recently announced that construction is underway on an extensive renovation project to convert a five-story barracks building into a U. S. Army headquarters building at Fort Polk.

VOA is providing full architectural/engineering services, partnering with Gibbs Construction, New Orleans, on the design-build contract for the headquarters Joint Readiness Training Center, formerly known as Building 350 at Fort Polk. The $10.6 million renovation is scheduled for completion by January 2004.

According to Ted G. Fery AIA, principal with VOA and director of the firm's Military Design Program, the 81,300-sq.-ft. project will consolidate the operations of The Army Joint Readiness Training Center and the Fort Polk Headquarters, creating a modern executive center for the post.

"The building was originally used for housing bachelor officers located at the installation," Fery explained. "Upon completion, the new building will consolidate approximately 19 different departments into one facility."