Air reserve station gets approval for building

The construction will more than quadruple the base’s current lodging capacity.

STAFF REPORT

VIENNA — The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $900,000 for the second phase of construction for an expanded and improved lodging facility at Youngstown Air Reserve Station here.

U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D, and George Voinovich, R, announced that the funds were included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2009.

“Our all-volunteer Air, Marine and Naval Reservists at Youngstown are on guard to protect our country and we need to do everything we can to provide our Reservists with the best facilities,” Brown said in the release. “These funds will help the Youngstown Air Force Reserve Station to provide a more secure and comfortable environment for Reservists and visitors on the base.”

“Volunteer Reservists play a vital role by serving and protecting our country,” Voinovich added in the release. “I am pleased that we are able to show our appreciation to the Youngstown volunteer Air, Marine and Naval Reservists and visitors to the base by providing them with updated quality facilities.”

The federal funds will be used to update the current Air Reserve lodging. The current facility houses 76 rooms, but needs to be able to house 338, making off-base lodging necessary at an increased cost to the base, the senators said in the release.

The expanded facility will reduce costs by ending the need for off-base lodging.

In addition, the construction will bring the facility into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, safety and fire requirements, they said.

The bill now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote and then proceeds to the House-Senate Conference Committee before final passage in both chambers. It then will be sent to the president to become law.