VANISHING HISTORY

Harlingen air base barracks being dismantled
October 01, 2010 5:00 AM

HARLINGEN — Seventy years ago, the sound of hammers banging and the screaming of electric saws meant contractors were building an Army air base in a hurry.

Now the same noises are filling the air at Texas State Technical College-Harlingen, but part of the city’s history is vanishing as World War II barracks, offices and warehouses are being torn down.

After serving as part of Harlingen Army Airfield during World War II, and then Harlingen Air Force Base during the Cold War, many of the buildings were converted for student use.

The old barracks were converted into dormitories and student apartments, but lacked air conditioning, TSTC Director of Housing Charlie Perez said. They were used up until about 1990, he said. Apartments were rented for $230 a quarter, or three months, he said.

The last of them are now being taken down.

“There are 16 buildings that are coming down,” said Ted C. Reiff, president of The Reuse People of America Inc.

“I believe eight of them are these type of barracks, built in 1940. The other ones are portable classrooms and smaller buildings and I think there’s one gas station.”

Although wrecking balls and bulldozers would once have been used in demolition, the materials are too valuable in the 21st century to be tossed in the landfill, Reiff said.

So the buildings are not being demolished, but rather taken apart. Most of the materials from the buildings will be salvaged.

TSTC Director of Engineering Chuck Smith said demonstrating and teaching recycling is a vital mission for the school.

“The whole reason that we’re doing this deconstruction project is that we’re trying to be environmentally responsible as a campus, since we’re responsible for training people in the construction trades, and we see a future of ever-declining resources. And so that’s going to drive more and more re-use of materials,” he said. “And we see a future of fewer and fewer landfills.”

Salvaging materials is now as important as the construction skills TSTC has taught for decades, Smith said.

“What we’re doing is the reverse training,” Reiff said.

“All of these fellows are from (Texas Workforce Solutions), 16 of them, so they’re all unemployed. I’m teaching them what I call the art and science of deconstruction and building materials salvage,” said Reiff, whose company is overseeing the training.

All the doors, cabinets and light fixtures have been salvaged and trainees are now salvaging wood framing, he said.

Another contractor is working ahead of his crew, removing asbestos from the buildings, he said.

Smith said the project could take from six to 18 months to accomplish, depending on the number and efforts of trainees as well as funding.

Although the Texas Workforce Commission has granted about $800,000 for the project, there will also be income from the sale of salvaged lumber, metals and other building materials, he said. Some of those materials will be used in the construction of the University Center, a joint project of TSTC and the Harlingen Economic Development Corp.

The center will provide facilities for other schools such as Texas A&M University-Kingsville, University of Texas-Brownsville and Texas Tech to provide “distance learning” programs, allowing local residents to pursue advanced degrees while working and living at home, Smith said.

Also, salvaged materials will be used in the construction of TSTC’s new engineering center, which will be created by renovating a huge former air base building that was once used by the Tex Steel Co. for manufacturing, he said. Materials will be stored in the building first, he said.

The purpose of the project is not only to recycle building materials, but also to provide better new campus buildings than could be afforded otherwise, Smith said.

Reiff said the Southern yellow pine being recycled from the old barracks is highly prized by builders across the country and as far away as Japan.

Placing trainees in jobs is one of the main priorities of the program, Smith said.

After Harlingen AFB closed in 1962, the city took ownership of the base, creating Valley International Airport.

City leaders also brought in Marine Military Academy, the Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force), Texas State Technical Institute (now TSTC) and industries and businesses to the former base.