News>Air Force transfers last piece of former Lowry AFB back to community
Photos
Denver and Air Force Personnel Center leaders watch as a lithograph is presented to Montgomery Force, right, by Stephen TerMaath in Denver on May 31, 2012. The presentation marked the turn-over of the Buckley Annex, the last 70 acres of the former Lowry Air Force Base, to the city of Denver. Force is the Lowry Redevelopment Authority executive director and TerMaath is the Base Realignment and Closure Program Management division chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
Terry Yonkers, the Air Force Installations, Environment and Logistics assistant secretary, speaks at a transfer celebration marking the final turn-over of the last 70 acres of the former Lowry Air Force Base to the city of Denver on May 31, 2012. Marked for closure during the 1991 Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission, the former base is now a sustainable, mixed-use community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Kathrine McDowell)
by Senior Airman Christopher Gross
460th Space Wing Public Affairs
6/8/2012 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- The final 70 acres of the former Buckley Annex was given back to the Denver community during a final transfer ceremony June 1 here.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said the old Lowry Air Force Base was once a thriving hub for the United States Air Force and its members, and is now a vibrant and prosperous residential neighborhood.
Work for the redevelopment process started almost immediately after the closure of the Buckley Annex was announced in 2005, according to Montgomery Force, the executive director of the Lowry Redevelopment Authority.
The transfer of Lowry AFB will result in approximately 800 homes with close proximity to parks, schools, jobs and transportation. It's sought to generate almost 700 retail, construction and office jobs and gain more than $5 million of positive economic growth.
Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, said he was very impressed with the progress made since the closure of Lowry AFB more than two decades ago.
He described Lowry as unrecognizable after years of redevelopment and said it has been a tremendous success.
"This is the combination now of almost decades of hard work by a whole lot of folks and the community," Yonkers said. "More importantly this is the whole base transfer. You've taken everything that the Air Force had and transferred it by virtually signing the document today over to the redevelopment authority and the general community."
Comments
6/11/2012 11:47:12 AM ET Lowry is spelled correctly. The base was named in honor of 2nd Lt. Francis Lowry on 11 March 1938.
Scottie, Luke AFB Arizona
6/11/2012 9:40:01 AM ET PLEASE check the spelling for the numerous times you used LOWRY
Dagooch, USA
6/9/2012 3:02:38 PM ET What was initial acreage @ '91 BRAC? Did it have an airfield, ammo dumps, fuel storage, housing, hosp, etc?
Bob F Cordes, Chilli OH
6/8/2012 7:40:35 PM ET Would be nice if the story headline had the base name spelled correctly. It is Lowry AFB not Lowery.
CP, Colo Spgs
6/8/2012 6:58:41 PM ET What memories! I attended class 11076B Special Weapons Officer Training July 1956 through March 1957. We lived in government housing over on East 3rd Avenue. A great base with outstanding training personnel and facilities. I still remember the F86's and the B25's. A great introduction to Air Force life for a green 2nd Lieutenant.
John W. Alfieri, Rochester NY
6/8/2012 4:45:37 PM ET Lowry AFB was at one time the primary training school for Aircraft Weapons Mechanics along with other schools I can't remember. I went through the weapons school in July to October 1966 after going to basic training at Lackland AFB Texas. The Black Shack was where the classroom training was applied to the aircraft in the building.I believe there was a F-100F-105 and posibly a F-4 for the tactical people and a B-47 and B-52 for those going to SAC.The ADC people had I believe a F-102 and possibly a F-106 to train on.A Mace or Matador missile was there too for those going into missile fields.
Mike Folks, Springfield Mo.
6/8/2012 1:52:59 PM ET Can we possibly spell Lowry correctly.
