At Osan Air Base in South Korea, 10-story Jirisan Tower has opened for occupancy. Jirisan’s opening completes a three-building series of family housing construction aimed at easing the shortage of on-base accommodations for command-sponsored families. (Franklin Fisher / Stars and Stripes)
OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — The newest high-rise family apartment building has opened at Osan Air Base.
Workers continue to put final touches on the exterior of the 10-story Jirisan Tower, but command-sponsored families have begun moving in, officials said Tuesday.
Jirisan is just yards from the 14-story Hallasan Tower, which opened March 24. A $3.2 million, four-level above-ground parking garage with 417 spaces opened in March to serve residents of both towers.
Of Jirisan’s 104 apartments, 72 are three-bedroom units, each 1,800 square feet; 32 are 2,100-square-foot, four-bedroom units; five meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Jirisan also has two playgrounds, one for kids 2 to 5, the other for 6- to 12-year-olds.
The Isu Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. built the $24.4 million Jirisan under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Far East District. Construction began in September 2005.
Jirisan is the last in a three-tower series of housing construction aimed at easing a scarcity of on-base housing for command-sponsored families. The first of the three was the nine-story Seoraksan that opened in April 2006 with 112 units.
With all three now in use, officials Monday closed the aging Mustang Valley Village, an eight-acre, seven-building area that housed 199 families. It was built during 1979 and 1980.
Senior Master Sgt. Marvin Krause, an Osan spokesman, said Jirisan and the other two towers will especially help families who had been living off base and will now be close to such amenities as the commissary, base exchange and Osan American School.
Apartment features
All apartments at Jirisan Tower include the following amenities:
