At A Glance: Disaster Recovery
- Location: Selma, Alabama
- Customer: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Facility Impact: Primary staging site for Transportable Temporary Housing Units (TTHU)
- Project 1: 12,000-sq-ft warehouse designed for 115 mph winds
- Project 2: Full administrative building roof replacement
MOBILE, Ala. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, announced the successful completion of two major recovery projects for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at their primary Transportable Temporary Housing Units (TTHU) staging site in Selma, Alabama. The projects, a new pre-engineered warehouse and a major roof replacement on the main administrative building, were finished in June and November of 2025, respectively.
The need for these projects arose after an EF-2 tornado struck the Selma area on January 12, 2023, causing significant damage to the FEMA facility. This site is critical to FEMA’s mission, serving as the largest staging area for TTHUs, which provide temporary housing for families displaced by disasters. The tornado destroyed two temporary warehouse structures and severely damaged the roof of the main administrative building.
“Our partnership with FEMA is vital, and we are proud to have delivered these critical infrastructure improvements,” said Nichole Grunenberg, Mobile District International and Interagency Services project manager. “These projects not only restore the operational capacity of the Selma site but also enhance its resilience against future weather events.”
In response to the tornado’s devastation, the Mobile District’s in-house design team, initially led by architect Rebecca Whiteside, acted quickly. The team developed a Design/Build Request for Proposal (RFP) for a 12,000-square-foot pre-engineered warehouse…