The Orlando, Fla., office of VOA Associates Inc. architecture, planning and interior design recently announced the completion of its commission to provide design-build services for the new, $4.6 million Marine Corps Training Center in Lafayette.

VOA provided full architectural/engineering services, in partnership with Gibbs Construction LLC of New Orleans, for the design-build project, which was completed in June. The two-story, 34,000-sq.-ft. facility is located on a 5-acre site directly across from the Lafayette Regional Airport on Surrey Road, approximately 100 miles northwest of New Orleans.

According to Ted G. Fery AIA, the facility is one of the first Naval Reserve buildings to incorporate blast hardened construction and stringent standoff requirements based on the new DoD Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) standards. Fery, who is director of the firm's AT/FP team, said that the small site presented extremely challenging conditions incorporating the new AT/FP standards and actually will require a portion of the new building to be designed to resist the effects of a nearby blast.

The new center provides support space for all aspects of training, recruiting and administration of the Marine Corps' TOW Platoon, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division reserve unit. In addition to new office space, the building includes classrooms, an assembly drill hall, armory, medical unit, exercise area, conference rooms, locker rooms/showers/toilets and a four-bay vehicle maintenance facility.