PENREN

[W. Gray]

Most folks are probably aware of Project Phoenix that rebuilt the wedge of the Pentagon that was destroyed on 9/11. There are a lot of folks, though, who may not be aware of the multi-billion dollar historic total Pentagon rebuilding project which will be completed next year after almost twenty years of effort. Originally, the Pentagon was built in only 17 months starting in September 1941 and with completion in January 1943.

Cut and pasted from a couple web sites:

The Pentagon Renovation & Construction Program Office's (PENREN) activities began in 1993 with the building of the Pentagon Heating and Refrigeration Plant. It is an effort to modernize six-and-a-half million square feet within the 65-year-old structure. The original completion date for the renovation of Wedges 1-5 was 2014. However, the events of September 11, 2001 made apparent a more immediate need to complete the building's life-safety and security enhancements. Congress provided additional funds to accelerate the Pentagon renovation; as a result, PENREN will complete the renovations in October 2011, 36 months ahead of the original schedule.

PENREN faces complications in completely overhauling the Pentagon, which includes the presence of asbestos and other hazardous materials, as well as the need to complete the renovations in an operating facility housing more than 20,000 people who cannot afford interruptions in their daily operations. The Pentagon's technology infrastructure was also in need of modernization, a task that rivals the construction effort in size and complexity. This effort is being conducted concurrently with the brick-and-mortar renovation under a separate contract.

At a cost of $4.3 billion, the Pentagon's renovation is the largest design-build office renovation and modernization project in the United States, comprising 6.5 million ft² with more than 17.5 miles of corridors and 25,000 personnel.