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Building & Construction
Razing the past:
Marina, Calif., demolishes former Fort Ord housing units By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
At one time, Fort Ord in Monterey Bay, Calif., was one of the most attractive military installations in the U.S. However, in recent years, what’s left of the fort has become a shadow of its former self, prompting the city of Marina to tear down dozens of old barracks and other buildings to create something that the whole community can use. “We have completed approximately 40% of the demolition. The remainder is planned for removal and full build-out of new developments by 2028,” said Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado. A rich history Established as a World War I-era maneuver and artillery field, the area — originally known 46 THE MUNICIPAL | JULY 2022
as the Gigling Reservation, among its other monikers — was christened Camp Ord in 1933 after Union Army Major General Edward Otho Cresap Ord. Throughout the ’30s, mobile combat units, including tanks, armored troop carriers and portable artillery, replaced the horse cavalry units that once trained on the camp.
ABOVE: The former military barracks at Fort Ord were a shadow of their former past and led to blight in the city of Marina, Calif. (Shutterstock.com)
In 1940, the camp expanded to 2,000 acres and was redesignated an Army “fort” within a year. When the Seventh Infantry Division was reactivated to prepare for the possibility of U.S. involvement in World War II, it became the first major unit to occupy the new post. In the months and years that followed, several sub camps were created around Fort Ord to support the training of troops, and by 1947, the post was home to the Fourth Replacement Training Center. “At its height, Fort Ord was home to more than 50,000 troops and served as a staging
