Coast Guard addition detailed

August 19, 1997

By DON AINES

Staff Writer, Martinsburg

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - An addition to the U.S. Coast Guard Operations Systems Center will be nearly twice as large as the existing building, according to a preliminary plan submitted to the Berkeley County Planning Commission.

The three-story, 73,957-square-foot addition would be on approximately 10 acres at the Liberty Business Park off W.Va. 9 East, according to the sketch plat reviewed by the commission Monday night.

The existing Coast Guard building, dedicated in November 1991, is approximately 40,000 square feet and cost about $5 million to build, said Ken Lowe, the managing partner for Panhandle Venture II, which owns the business park. He referred any questions about the project to Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.,who has been instrumental in bringing federal agencies to the state.

The Coast Guard center employs about 100 people, mostly civilians. The center supports Coast Guard search and rescue operations, law enforcement mission and other operations.

The addition to the operations center will be the sixth building at the business park, according to Lowe. The other four are leased to the IRS, including the Eastern Regional Computer Center, which is under construction.

The next step in the process is submission of the preliminary plat for the project, which would have to go through a public hearing before the planning commission.

A sketch plat for a 132-acre commercial park had been submitted to the commission, but was withdrawn at the request of the developer. A representative for Joseph Tyszkiewicz said he had wanted to address the commission, but was unable to attend the meeting.

The plan for the I-81 Industrial Development indicated it would be off the interstate on the north side of Route 901. The 19 lots in the development ranged from 3.6 to 9.7 acres.

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