Navy Base Paint, Blast & Rubber Facility
Size
74,249 sf
Cost
$52M
When RWH Architect was recruited for this large-scale federal design-build manufacturing modernization project, the mission was clear: replace an aging, inefficient industrial campus with a secure, high-performance facility capable of supporting complex, mission-critical operations for decades to come.
What followed was not simply a new building project — it was a full-scale transformation of an industrial campus shaped by decades of piecemeal expansion, outdated infrastructure, and facilities long past their useful service life.
A Campus Ready for Reinvention
The scope was substantial:
74,249 square feet of new construction
52,727 square feet of renovation across three existing buildings
73,450 square feet of demolition, including eight full buildings and portions of two others
But the real complexity extended beyond square footage. The site required full permitting, relocation of underground and overhead utilities, railroad track demolition and reconfiguration, hazardous materials abatement, and the integration of strict Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) standards — all while maintaining operational continuity.
This was federal industrial architecture at its most demanding.
Designing Through Constraint
The existing buildings contained significant hazardous materials, including asbestos and lead-contaminated components — common in facilities of this era. Rather than treating remediation as an afterthought, RWH Architect embedded environmental planning into the earliest phases of design.
By sequencing demolition strategically and coordinating closely with remediation teams, the project minimized risk, controlled costs, and prevented schedule delays.
At the same time, critical utility infrastructure — both above and below ground — required relocation without interrupting mission operations. RWH’s integrated planning approach reorganized the site to improve long-term efficiency, modernize infrastructure corridors, and strengthen campus security.
Security as Architecture
Federal projects demand more than aesthetics and performance — they demand resilience.
Security requirements, including ATFP standards, were not layered onto the project late in design. They informed it. Building setbacks, hardened envelopes, controlled access points, and carefully zoned interiors were incorporated from concept phase forward.
The result is a facility where architecture and security operate as one cohesive system — seamless, intentional, and future-ready.
Engineering a High-Performance Manufacturing Environment
The new 74,249-square-foot facility consolidates highly specialized industrial functions under one modern, flexible structure. The building houses:
Rubber Manufacturing
Shaft Operations
Very Large Parts Processing
Blast and Paint Operations
Waterjet and SHT Buffer Operations
Fiberglass Repair
Plastisol and Linoleum/Carpet Operations
Consumable and Hazmat Storage
Administrative and Support Areas
Operational adjacencies were meticulously studied to streamline workflow, improve safety, and reduce inefficiencies that had developed over decades of fragmented growth.
High-bay spaces were designed for flexibility, allowing future process changes without structural compromise — a key strategy for long-term federal facility resilience.
Sustainable Industrial Modernization
Many of the demolished structures were decades beyond their intended lifespan, consuming excessive energy and offering little environmental control.
The new and renovated facilities dramatically reduce energy consumption through:
High-performance building envelope systems
Energy-efficient mechanical and ventilation systems
Strategic daylight integration
Durable, low-maintenance industrial materials
Sustainability was not an added feature — it was a modernization imperative.
Phased Delivery, Long-Term Impact
Construction began in Summer 2019 and concluded in 2023, delivered through a collaborative design-build model that prioritized cost control, schedule integrity, and risk mitigation.
Today, the transformed campus stands as a secure, efficient, and mission-ready industrial environment — a significant departure from the deteriorating infrastructure it replaced.
Beyond Construction: Strategic Federal Facility Design
This project reflects RWH Architect’s broader expertise in:
Government and federal facility design
Industrial and manufacturing architecture
Phased demolition and renovation
Hazardous material coordination
High-security and ATFP-compliant environments
Sustainable campus modernization
More than a new building, this effort represents the strategic reinvention of a federal manufacturing campus — designed to serve safely, efficiently, and sustainably for generations to come.