The South Dakota Army National Guard will host a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Aviation Readiness Center near Rapid City Regional Airport (4750 Guard Road) on Wednesday (May 22) at 1 p.m.
The $20 million facility will house more than 150 Soldiers from eight units and will enhance training and readiness for National Guard forces. The almost 59-thousand square foot readiness center features training classrooms, administrative offices, equipment storage space and military vehicle parking.
The federal government is paying $15 million of the building cost and the state is paying $5 million. It’s expected to be done in the spring of 2021.
In addition to providing better training and readiness capabilities for soldiers, the state-of-the art facility is also designed to meet LEED Silver criteria – making the building energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The readiness center will also include a geothermal heat exchanger for heating and cooling, automated temperature control monitor, anti-terrorism/force protection measures, security fencing and site lighting, to name a few.
