California Construction News staff writer
Clark Construction has broken ground on a new 120,000-sq. ft. barracks at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, marking a major step forward in expanding and modernizing the depot’s training capacity for both male and female recruits.
The P-314 Recruit Barracks project, designed in-house by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southwest, was launched last week in a ceremony attended by base leadership, Navy officials, and representatives from Clark Construction.
A multi-storey, cast-in-place concrete facility was designed to improve training conditions by replacing temporary housing and enhancing capacity during peak summer training cycles. The building will include open squad bay billeting, centralized restrooms and showers, spaces for drill instructors, company offices, and a separate laundry building. Each squad bay is designed to accommodate 75 to 90 recruits.
“We pride ourselves on following our very simple motto of ‘building what matters,’ and I can think of few projects that matter more than this,” said Mike Guzzi, vice president at Clark Construction. “I’m extremely proud to be part of this team and can’t wait to deliver this project to the Marine Corps.”
Colonel Tracy Maese, commanding officer of the recruit training regiment at MCRD San Diego, underscored the importance of the facility in preparing new Marines. “A functional and modern barracks allows our recruits to focus on the physical and mental challenges of becoming a Marine, with current amenities,” said Maese.
Captain Ben Wainwright, executive officer for NAVFAC Southwest, said the project will ensure the depot remains equipped to fulfill its mission. “Today, we break ground not just on a new building, but on a critical infrastructure upgrade that will ensure MCRD San Diego remains fully capable of its mission, supporting the development of our nation’s Marines for decades to come.”
