BAUMHOLDER, Germany – The Army is investing more than $700 million in projects at the Wetzel Housing Area as part of its commitment to quality of life for families stationed overseas.
Wetzel is a key housing area at Baumholder and is the current focus of multiple construction projects intended to deliver quality of life for military families that are part of a larger construction and renovation effort supporting the move of Special Operations Forces from U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart to the Baumholder Military Community.
For the families moving to Wetzel in the coming years, there will be an abundance of modern townhouses and apartment style housing, a brand-new elementary school, and recreational areas such as playgrounds and dog parks all under construction now. Much of this will be ready in 2027.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District is managing the design and construction program at Wetzel in close coordination with U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, and German construction partners, and is also working with the Department of Defense Education Activity for the construction of the school.
The construction to provide modern housing for incoming personnel and their families at Baumholder is divided into two contracts. The first contract, started in Sept. 2023, is for the construction of 52 new townhouses in nine clustered buildings. This contract is expected to be complete in 2027. The second contract, started in Nov. 2024, is constructing 70 additional townhouses in seven clustered buildings, and is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2028.
“According to the project authorization, the current housing availability is insufficient in the area, and most of the housing was built in the 1950s,” Europe District Army Family Housing Project Manager Tammy Cinnamon said. “These improvements are about providing Soldiers, and their families with modern housing that is secure and meets current quality of life standards.”
The townhouses will all include either three or four bedrooms. Both contracts also include the development and construction of playgrounds, dog parks, parking, sprinkler tanks, and other amenities designed to modernize the Wetzel Housing Area.
However, supporting military families in Baumholder does not stop there. Europe District is also building a new elementary school at Baumholder to replace Smith Elementary School there, which first opened in 1953. When completed, the new Baumholder Elementary School will serve 700 students with a 21st century facility that incorporates informational teaching tools into every surface. The new school will also feature flexible learning spaces, themed playgrounds, and advanced technology, all aimed at providing an exceptional educational experience meant to foster innovation and creativity. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
“We’re building something really special for the students at Baumholder,” said Europe District Project Manager Mark Crawford. “The new Baumholder Elementary School is really taking shape and will be a wonderful, modern 21st-century space for kids in Baumholder to really learn and grow.”
Additionally, design work is ongoing for a new combined middle and high school for students stationed in Baumholder.
The work at Wetzel is part of a more than $1.2 billion investment in construction and renovation projects across the Baumholder Military Community. This work also includes the renovation and modernization of a wide range of facilities on the Smith Barracks site in Baumholder for SOF personnel to work and train and to maximize Baumholder’s capabilities as a global power projection platform.
Quality of life improvements are also under construction on Smith Barracks in Baumholder, including a new 12-unit apartment building for families and a new Army lodge.
The new lodge being built is replacing the old Lagerhof Inn and will include 78 rooms, kitchens, laundry and fitness facilities, two elevators and central air conditioning. The building will also be ADA compliant and have a pet-friendly ground floor. Construction for this project is scheduled to be complete in 2027.
The installation improvements and new construction projects will bring the Baumholder Military Community into the 21st century, improving the comfort, security, and quality of life for all personnel and their families stationed there.