Out with the old: BX demolition begins

Brig. Gen. C. K. Hyde, 86th Airlift Wing commander, participates in the demolition of the old base exchange near the North Side Chapel on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 5, 2012. The old BX was built in the 1950s, being the first shopping center on Ramstein. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Caitlin O’Neil-McKeown)

Published Oct. 10, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Hailey Haux
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- The demolition of the old base exchange here started Oct. 5 near the North Side Chapel with the 86th Airlift Wing commander in the driver's seat.

"About 95 percent of the ground and space we have for construction is already used," said Brig. Gen. C. K. Hyde, 86th Airlift Wing commander. "The only way we can get more construction space is by tearing down old facilities that are past their service life. This allows us to turn it into green space for future construction."

Even though the building has been vacant for some time, Hyde was the first to put a dent in the building, starting the demolition process.

"The area is prime real estate," said 1st Lt. Harrizon Sanchez, 86th Civil Engineer Squadron construction management chief. "It won't be long until something takes the space."

The project is scheduled to be complete March 2013.

The old BX was built in the 1950s, and was the first shopping center on Ramstein.