Located on a 12.7-acre site in Farmingdale, NY is the new four-story, 200,000 sq. ft. Armed Forces Reserve Center. Designed for joint use by the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Marine Corp Reserve, and Navy Reserve, the AFRC is authorized to accommodate 1,775 enlisted personnel and 155 officers. Featured on its exterior is approximately 75,000 sq. ft. of fire-rated ALPOLIC aluminum composite material from Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America Inc.

Recommended by the Base Re-Alignment and Closure Commission as a way to save money, consolidate, and improve conditions, the new state-of-the-art facility allowed for the closing of five 50-year-old armories and two out-of-date Reserve Centers. In order to properly prepare for missions, the Center is designed to meet each division’s administrative, training, and storage needs. Containing specialized work spaces for each unit, as well as common areas shared by all, the AFRC also features a 24,960 square ft. Field Maintenance Shop and two-story parking garage.

In terms of its design, the building had to meet stringent government standards. It was to that end that the ACM fabricator, Kenneth J. Herman of Amityville, NY, employed the use of ALPOLIC®/fr panels. Built to blast-resistant design requirements and in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 285 Intermediate Multi-Story Fire Test standards, the AFRC features the fire-resistant ALPOLIC material on all sides of the exterior. Those who worked on the project cited formability and economy as additional benefits associated with the aluminum composite material.

Completed in August 2010, the AFRC was designed by QPK Design of Syracuse, NY. J. Kokolakis Contracting was the general contractor. The 4mm-thick ALPOLIC FR material was supplied in three colors: Silver Metallic, Medium Gray XL and Bone White.