FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — In a ceremony joined by senior leaders, Cavalry Family Housing, the Military Housing Office, Centinel Public Partnership, LLC, and community partners, McNair Village began demolition March 20 here.
McNair Village is the oldest housing on post, the houses originally built in the 1940s. It has a total of 272 homes, all of which will be demolished.
“The demolition of McNair Village is more than just the removal of outdated homes; it represents progress, modernization and a stronger future for Team Cavazos,” said Col. Lakicia Stokes, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander, in her opening remarks. “For years, this village was more than a collection of houses. It was a home where friendships were formed, families grew and lasting memories were made. While we say goodbye to these buildings, we honor their history and experiences shared within them.”
The removal of these World War II-era homes is part of a $420 million five-year community development plan, which was originally announced in 2021. The plan also included other improvements, such as repainting homes, repairing driveways and sidewalks and renovations.
The demolition of McNair Village makes way for Heritage Heights, the installation latest neighborhood for junior-enlisted Soldiers. The new addition currently has 248 homes completed, with another 25 to be added at the end of March, according to Chris Albus, project director for Cavalry Family Housing.
The neighborhood will eventually feature more than 500 homes, said Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Cavazos, during his remarks.
The new homes are single story with two-car garages, an open floor plan, state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, fenced-in yards, back patios and storage space, said Gretchen Turpen, executive vice president of Centinel, the company that manages some of the military housing portfolios in the nation including Fort Cavazos.
“(The demolition) serves as a testament to our commitment to building neighborhoods that cater to the evolving needs of families,” Turpen said during her remarks. “Centinel remains steadfast in our commitment to setting a new standard for military housing communities here at Fort Cavazos and across our entire portfolio. We deeply value the trust that military families place in us.
“Our hope is that the work we continue to progress here at Fort Cavazos — new homes, renovated homes, demolished homes — will enable families to create new memories and that the legacy of strength, resilience and community continues to thrive for future generations to come,” she added.
After Turpen, Admiral spoke, thanking Centinel for their “tremendous” partnership and speaking of what is to come.
“… Thankfully, we have a great housing partner in Centinel, with a fantastic team led locally by Chris Albus,” Admiral expressed. “Centinel has also done a remarkable job overseeing our housing inventory of over 5,000 homes, some of which date back to the 1940s, which brings us to the event we’re hosting today.
“Although we have over 100 barracks and more than 5,000 homes on post, there is a constant demand for additional high-quality housing for our Soldiers and our families to live,” Admiral continued. “(McNair Village) has seen an incredible amount of growth and change in this installation, and as it has grown to support the needs of a unit stationed here and today, we turn the page on a new chapter before Cavazos history. We are demolishing these homes so that we could continue to fulfill our promise to provide safe, comfortable, high-quality housing for every team member here on the installation.”
Following remarks, Admiral inaugurated the demolition by tearing the first home himself in an excavator.
“Thank you to everyone who’s made today possible,” Admiral concluded, “including the Centinel team, our garrison teammates and all the Soldiers and families of Team Cavazos.”
