Pentagon Reconstruction: The Phoenix Project

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense in Washington, DC.  It consists of five concentric pentagons of corridors and offices, with the designation of "rings" and labeled "A" through "E." These rings are interconnected and enable employees to walk to other sections without ever going outside. Twenty-three thousand military and civilian employees work in the Pentagon.

Rebuilding

• The area of work covers the outer three rings of the Pentagon (E, D, and C) between Corridors 4 and 5.
• Approximately 400,000 square feet of space required complete structural demolition and reconstruction. Half of this area rests in the newly renovated Wedge 1 section of the Pentagon and the other half falls in the un-renovated Wedge 2.
• The Phoenix Project scope of work includes rebuilding the core and shell of Wedge 1 and the shell of Wedge 2.

Cost

• It will cost upwards of $700 million to recover the entire two million square feet damaged by the attack.
• About 2.1 million pounds of limestone were quarried and cut in southern Indiana before being sent to the Pentagon. The 3,700 stone pieces required for the effort are in place on the exterior of the building.
• As many as 1,000 workers, initially working three shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, undertook project.

Milestones

• On June 11, the last piece of limestone was set into the Pentagon's western façade.
• A condolence book, a Presidential photo, and handmade sympathy cards written by children were included in a bronze box that was sealed into the limestone facade of the newly rebuilt section of the Pentagon.
• The capsule is not intended to be opened.

Completion

• The E-ring, the Pentagon's outer ring where the aircraft hit the building will be reoccupied on September 11, 2002.
• All of the areas damaged by the terrorist attack will be completely restored by Spring of 2003.
  

For more information, please see the Phoenix Project web site at http://renovation.pentagon.mil/projects-PHOENIX.htm.