USO facility at Fort Belvoir to be renovated as part of MLB All-Star Game initiative

The USO warehouse will undergo a major renovation and in mid-July reopen as the USO-Metro All-Star Depot. (USO-Metro image)

A USO logistics facility at Fort Belvoir was recently named a beneficiary of the 2018 All-Star Legacy Initiative by Major League Baseball, the Washington Nationals and the Nationals Dream Foundation.

As one of seven Washington, D.C.-area community enrichment projects selected as a 2018 All-Star Legacy Project, the 12,000 square-foot USO warehouse at 9455 Jackson Loop will undergo a major renovation and in mid-July reopen as the USO-Metro All-Star Depot. Former and current members of the Nationals are expected to attend the unveiling of the new facility, which will take place sometime before the MLB All-Star Game at Nationals Park on July 17.

According to a May 2 MLB press release, the MLB, Nationals and Nationals Dream Foundation are donating approximately $5 million to the seven All-Star Legacy Projects and several charities. Since 1997, the MLB and All-Star clubs have donated about $85 million to renovation and improvement projects in communities nationwide.

The Fort Belvoir-based USO logistics facility — which primarily stores non-perishable foods for distribution to USO-Metro’s centers, airport lounges and programs throughout the region — will gain a new HVAC system and commercial-grade refrigeration units as part of the renovation. The newly revamped depot also will feature a designated space where USO-Metro programs can take place, like the annual Turkeys for Troops and Project USO Elf.

According to Alexandra Bitonti, sports and corporate development specialist with USO-Metro, comfort and convenience will be two key features of the upgraded facility.

“With the renovation, we can use the depot for expanded programmatic purposes,” said Bitonti, noting that it will enable USO-Metro to hold its Pack 4 Troops care package stuffing events at the facility instead of at off-site company locations.

The depot’s new HVAC system will ensure that the temperature remains comfortable year-round, according to Bitonti, and contractors will install a new sound system and electronics. USO-Metro’s logistics team will have a dedicated office, while volunteers will benefit from a place to store their personal items, she added.

Additional capacity will be another benefit of the renovations. According to the MLB’s press release, the renovation will “increase the amount of products and supplies that can be stored at the facility, including the addition of bulk perishable foods to the inventory distributed to the nine USO-Metro locations.”

Construction already has begun on the new facility and should be complete by the end of June, said Bitonti.

USO-Metro — a nonprofit serving military families in the National Capital Region — partners with the Washington Nationals year-round on military initiatives, including free tickets for families and Date Night at the Ballpark. This Independence Day, USO-Metro will be the charity beneficiary for the Nationals’ game against the Boston Red Sox at Nationals Park.