Navy awards contract for Marine fitness center

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — The Navy has awarded a $12.9 million contract to a Charleston firm to build a fitness center at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command said in a release Wednesday that the contract is going to Hightower Construction Co. of Charleston.

The multi-story center will include a gymnasium to serve the 4,000 Marines and sailors at the air station. It will include roof-mounted solar hot water collectors to supplement the building’s hot water system and a rain water harvesting system to reduce water consumption.

The release said the project is expected to be completed by May 2013.