USACE Breaks Ground on JBLM's First Mass Timber Barracks for 200 Soldiers
On December 12, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a five-story, 105,000-square-foot barracks at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), designed to house 200 soldiers.
This project marks the Department of War's first use of mass timber, a material selected for its potential to improve environmental sustainability and reduce construction timelines. The pilot program, initiated in early 2023, aims to evaluate mass timber's effectiveness in military construction under various conditions.
The project is expected to provide high-quality housing, enhancing soldier readiness and morale. USACE's Seattle District is leading the design and construction management, collaborating closely with various disciplines to ensure the project's success. Data generated from this pilot will inform future military construction standards, potentially establishing mass timber as a primary building material in the Department of War.
