Marine Corps Museum Recruits Contractor

QUANTICO, VA-The National Museum of the Marine Corps has a builder on board now that the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation has chosen Centex Construction Co. to head up construction of the cultural endeavor. The museum–which will occupy a spot next door to the Marine Corps Base at Quantico off I-95–is just one phase of the planned 135-acre Marine Corps Heritage Center, which will ultimately include a memorial park, parade grounds, artifact restoration facilities and a conference center. The first segment of the project, the museum, will cost an estimated $40 million to realize. Centex beat out 12 other competitors for the contract. The construction company is also spearheading the Pentagon Memorial.

The museum phase of the project will include 120,000 sf of space for galleries, as well as an orientation theater, gift shop and restaurant. Fentress Bradburn Architects is behind the design of the project, which will boast a 160-ft glass atrium made all the more distinctive by a 210-ft tilted mass on top. Expansion plans are already being tossed around, as the facility is designed to be expanded up to 230,000 sf. Classrooms, a theater and office space are also on tap for the future.