A Look at 30 Years of the 10Thmountain Division at Fort Drum
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
C M Y K SECTION M Sunday, September 7, 2014 ‘Climb to Glory’ A look at 30 years 3of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum VIEW FROM THE TOP: Fort Drum’s commander, Maj. AROUND THE GLOBE: With the motto ‘Climb to Glory’ MUSICAL MISSION: Whether in a war zone or a local Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, addresses the future of the post, his as its backdrop, the 10th Mountain Division defines its history park, the 39-member 10th Mountain Division Band stands connection to the area, and even a little football. PAGE M4 in this two-page photo gallery. PAGES M8-9 ready to inspire soldiers and civilians. PAGE M10 C M Y K M2 Sunday, September 7, 2014 30 YearsWATERTOWN at D FortAILY TIMES Drum WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES Drum powers three decades of growth By TED BOOKER TIMES STAFF WRITER FORT DRUM — It’s the heartbeat of the north coun- try’s economy. As the largest employer in Northern New York, Fort Drum 17 has accounted for an economic impact of $19.72 billion on the region over the past quarter- century. The impact of the installa- tion has more than quadrupled since the post began collect- ing data in 1988, when the fig- ure was about $272 million. It has been above $1 billion ev- AMANDA MORRISON n WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES ery year since 2006, peaking at In December 2012, the state opened I-781, a $55 million connector about $1.7 billion in 2008. highway spurred by the growth of Fort Drum. Last year it was $1.4 billion. In the early 1980s, Fort Drum the Target store off outer Ar- districts that educate thou- was a sleepy U.S. Army instal- senal Street; 394 market-rate sands of military children in lation used for reserve forces townhouses by Morgan Man- the area are Indian River, Car- training. But the announce- agement, Pittsford, at the thage and Watertown. ment 30 years ago this week Preserve at Autumn Ridge off Enrollment at Indian River that the 10th Mountain Divi- County Route 202; and 200 has ballooned in the past five sion would be activated at the units by Norstar Development years because of the construc- base led to a $1.3 billion ex- USA, Buffalo, at Creek Wood tion of new housing, said James pansion of Fort Drum in the Apartments on the city’s north R. Koch, the district’s business mid-1980s, lifting the north side. manager. The district-wide en- country’s economy out of the James W. Wright, CEO of the rollment, including students doldrums. Development Authority of the in kindergarten through 12th From 1984 to 1988, the num- North Country, said those three grade, jumped from 3,698 to ber of jobs in Jefferson County 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION housing projects were made 4,342 from 2010 to 2013. surged by more than 50 per- possible by the creation in 2011 Military students account cent, from about 27,000 to n Description: of Jefferson County’s Commu- for about 65 percent of the stu- 42,000. Light Infantry nity Rental Housing Program dent body in the district, which The community enjoyed an n Base: Fort committee, which committed surpassed Watertown in 2011 increase in soldiers midway Drum, N.Y. local funding needed to launch to have the highest such en- through the first decade of the projects and helped secure rollment among districts in n Activation new millennium when, to meet state funding. In addition, tax the region. In 2013, at the start date: Feb. demands of wars in Iraq and incentives to attract developers of the new school year, mili- 13, 1985. (Announcement that the Afghanistan, the Army added were negotiated by the Jeffer- tary students at Watertown ac- division was coming to the base was a third brigade combat team son County Industrial Devel- counted for about 20 percent made on Sept. 11, 1984.) to the division and bulked up opment Agency and approved of the student body, which had other brigades to make them n Motto: “Climb to Glory” by municipalities. a K-through-12 enrollment of more autonomous when they n Mission statement: “The 10th The housing stock in the 3,902. At Carthage, 54 percent deployed. Those moves ex- Mountain Division (Light Infantry) greater Watertown area and of the 3,542 enrolled students panded the post by about 7,000 and Fort Drum RAPIDLY deploys town of LeRay has been much- were military-affiliated. soldiers from 2003 to 2006. trained and combat-ready forces improved from new construc- Fort Drum Mountain Com- The branching out of Fort AMANDA MORRISON n WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES tion, which has benefited the munity Homes — a partner- globally in order to prevent, shape or The sign on New York State Route 11 North welcomes people to the Drum has spurred growth in community at large, Mr. Wright ship between the Army and win in ground battle.” main entrance of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division. five key areas across the north said. private developer Actus Lend n Number of soldiers: 18,060 country: jobs/businesses, “The broader picture is that Lease — has been responsible their customers are military vider of food and beverages to housing, schools, health care n Number of affiliated civilian the need for military hous- for building about 1,700 homes dependent. It could be a wife, all dining facilities on the base. and infrastructure. workers: 3,895 ing enabled the buildout of on post in Indian River’s dis- husband, child or someone And last February, the Army housing in general, because trict since 2005, Mr. Koch said. Growth on outer Arsenal who is retired,” she said. “And announced its intention to ourselves and none of the Housing communities built in- we’re seeing a lot of military award a 20-year contract to the JOBS AND BUSINESSES Street since 2003 has included other (development) agencies clude Crescent Woods, Monu- the expansion of the Walmart personnel retire here and open on-site ReEnergy Black River viewed it as building military ment Ridge and Adirondack For north country business- Supercenter and Salmon Run businesses for themselves.” biomass facility, which would housing, but building com- Creek. Most recently, 740 mar- es, the greatest boon from Fort Mall, along with about 300,000 Soldiers’ paychecks have supply the post with electricity munity housing,” he said. “You ket-rate rental units have been Drum comes from the pay- square feet of newly construct- had a direct impact at Bradley’s to meet its current peak con- saw that in the marketplace. built over the past six years at checks of soldiers. Last year, ed commercial space at Towne Military Surplus, which opened sumption of about 28 mega- There used to be pent-up de- Eagle Ridge Village off Route military and civilian payrolls Center Plaza. in 1992 outside the post’s main watts at any given time. mand with absent choices. 342 in the town of LeRay. The totaled about $937 million and New restaurants have in- gate off Route 11 in Evans Mills. Now you have an array of project was completed in the $176 million, respectively. cluded Olive Garden, Chipo- “We’ve benefited probably choices, all of which are quality spring by Clover Construction, The post employed nearly tle Mexican Grill, CiCi’s Pizza, more than any other business HOUSING and affordable.” Williamsville. 22,000 people — 18,060 sol- Moe’s Southwest Grill, Cold around here, because we’re In the early 1980s, “The area “What triggered our enroll- diers and 3,895 civilians — at Stone Creamery and Sonic directly tied into the success at Thanks to Fort Drum’s pres- ence, the north country has was stagnant, and so was its ment growth is the availability the end of fiscal 2013. Drive-In. Four hotels were built Fort Drum,” said manager Mi- of homes — it’s really that sim- experienced a major housing housing stock,” Mr. Wright Carl A. McLaughlin, execu- off Arsenal Street, and two off chael J. Seymour. ple,” Mr. Koch said. boom over the past three years. said. But “when demands were tive director of the Fort Drum Route 11 in LeRay. Those six Since 2000, he said, his store placed on the housing stock, The Indian River district, In 2011, the Army calculated Regional Liaison Organization, hotels have a combined 635 has benefited from Walmart the long-term solution re- which has eight schools, has that 1,035 market-rate rental an advocacy group, said a spike rooms. and other corporate retailers quired the building of housing expanded several times to ac- units were needed in the re- in soldiers on post from 2003 to Along with drawing soldiers, that have planted roots outside stock. That has had community commodate the influx of mili- gion to meet the demand for 2006 led to steady commercial expanded commercial offer- of Fort Drum’s main gate to value.” tary students, Mr. Koch said. In growth on Route 11 near the ings on outer Arsenal “also draw more traffic along Route housing by Fort Drum person- January, residents in the dis- base in the town of LeRay and spurred further Canadian visits 11. In the early 1980s, Route 11 nel. That figure was based on trict approved a $33.2 million off outer Arsenal Street in the to the area,” Mr. McLaughlin simply was a way for travelers the scarcity of available hous- capital project that calls for the town of Watertown. said, adding: “It used to be that to get to Watertown from the ing and the projected return of SCHOOLS construction of 10 classrooms Before 2003, “the population they passed through Water- north, the 48-year-old Felts 19,000 soldiers from Afghani- Last year, north country at Evans Mills Primary, expan- wasn’t a sufficient quantity to town to go to Destiny USA in Mills native said.