Out with the old, in with the future!

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Col. Keith Balts, 30th Space Wing commander, Daniel Becker, Vandenberg Lodging general manager, and Elizabeth Waters, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron interior designer, cut a ribbon for the new lodging office here Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The new facility gives the Vandenberg Lodging center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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Out with the old, in with the future!

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The previous Vandenberg Lodge office, originally built in 1942, is closed with a sign pointing to the new building prior to a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, August 20, 2013. The move to a new building, which has been in the making for the last few years, gives the Vandenberg Lodging center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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Out with the old, in with the future!

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The lobby entrance of the new lodging office is pictured the day before its official ribbon cutting ceremony on August 20, 2013. The new facility gives the Vandenberg Lodging center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The relocated dorm Postal Service Center, now housed within the new Vandenberg Lodging building, is pictured the day before an official ribbon cutting ceremony on August 20, 2013. The new facility 0gives Vandenberg Lodging and the dorm Postal Service Center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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Out with the old, in with the future!

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The upgraded reception area of the new lodging office is pictured the day before its official ribbon cutting ceremony on August 20, 2013. The new facility gives the Vandenberg Lodging center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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Out with the old, in with the future!

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The upgraded reception area of the new lodging office is pictured the day before its official ribbon cutting ceremony on August 20, 2013. The new facility gives the Vandenberg Lodging center a bigger, brighter building and provides a better first impression for guests and customers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales)

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Out with the old, in with the future!

Published Aug. 22, 2013
By Airman Yvonne Morales
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Vandenberg Lodge moved out of its old 1942 building June 25, 2013 for a newer, brighter building.

It was difficult for the lodging team to give a first great impression to visitors when they where scrunched up with no open space or welcoming appearance, especially those who stayed in the Temporary Lodging Facility to be stationed at Vandenberg.

"The old lodging reception had terrible lighting, major infrastructure issues, and capability shortfalls," said Daniel Becker, Vandenberg Lodge general manager.

The Vandenberg Lodge has 265 guest rooms in 26 lodging facilities, which accommodate more than 60,000 guests annually!

"It [Vandenberg Lodge] is the first point of contact people have when arriving here to this base," said Becker. "Moving into a bigger and newer building helped us get a new face and is helping us provide better services to Vandenberg's guest."

Before moving into the new building, walls were torn down to fit the lodging needs and provide offices for its employees. Larger square footage helped them separate their storage, conference room, guest business center, and break room, all of which were once within the same room.

The building's new hub for communication underwent a $2.6 million dollars infrastructure upgrade. The new wiring upgraded lodging's television, telephones and wifi. With up-to-date technology, base lodging can now move into the future with bigger and better things for their guests.

"We used to have a small computer shoved in a corner for guests to use our slow internet," said Becker. "Now we can offer an actual business center with a printer and high speed internet, thanks to our new hub upgrade."

This is not the only change happening to this building. The dorms Postal Service Center, also built in 1942, will be upgrading and sharing this new location with base lodging.

"It's a great way to upgrade both places and consolidate square footage while also saving money by sharing the building," said Becker.

Once funds are available, both the old lodging and postal center will be demolished. Future plans also include an update to the base's Temporary Lodging Facility.