With more than 17,000 active-duty military members and their families living near Beaufort, South Carolina, it is as much an island town as it is a military town. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort—nicknamed “Fightertown East”—is not only a centerpiece of the community, but also of the United States domestic defense line, housing nine F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet squadrons.
Beaufort MCX—a 16,000-square-foot mall with a food court, retail stores and a 6,500-square-foot gas station—is one of the few places on base where service members can shop for necessities like groceries, clothing, beauty supplies, electronics and gas. Since its last renovation was more than 15 years ago, the US Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) sought a design-bid firm to update the MCX and gas station to current design standards.
The facility is a revenue-generating operation and home to crucial amenities for Marines on base. Any downtime for construction activities would have had a significant effect on both revenue and quality of life for those service members. Therefore, developers created an efficient and effective construction plan to maximize the client’s ongoing business operations during construction.

“Strategic and effective construction management was the key to getting this job done right.” — Travis Wilson, Assistant Project Manager, Commercial/Military, Stellar

Stellar was selected for the $2.7 million contract after submitting a five-part plan that would focus work on specific areas and allow customers to access the rest of the facility. Additionally, crews had to work around an adjacent on-site barber shop and GNC nutrition store that would not be renovated.
Retail reconstruction
Construction on the retail store was split into two phases. During both phases, crews built temporary walls to direct customers to the open parts of the store and shield them from construction noise and dust. The store’s main entrance was closed during the entirety of the renovation, so customers entered the building through an alternative entryway.
In the first phase, Stellar renovated the west side of the store with a new wall display system and a “hot bar” for coffee and food. Crews also modified a shared wall with the barbershop without interfering with its business.
The retail store’s second phase focused on its east side. The construction team got creative in dealing with the closed front access and other obstructions by directing customers through open areas and rearranging temporary barriers as needed.
Subcontractors and the superintendent had to work together to maximize the time on the job site and minimize the impact on customers and employees. This store is essential to the people who live on base—we knew they could not just stop shopping here.

Superior construction management and efficient teamwork between Stellar crews and subcontractors led to the project finishing four weeks ahead of schedule.

The Beaufort MCX was the first store to receive new, custom, luxury vinyl tiles that are the new design standard for MCX locations worldwide.
When Stellar crews opened up the ceiling grid, they discovered a mess of HVAC and electrical components that were streamlined and brought up to code; the ductwork and ceiling tiles were also replaced. Bathrooms were updated with new vanities and countertops, and the checkout areas were refreshed with new millwork.
Freshening up the food court
The food court, like the retail store, had its design updated with new luxury vinyl tiles, millwork, vanities and countertops. A new walk-in freezer and prep room were added, allowing greater storage for food supplies. Additionally, the overall layout of the food court was updated to improve traffic flow and the overall customer experience.
Gas station renovation
The MCX fuel station is the only place on MCAS Beaufort where Marines can fill up the tanks of their personal vehicles, so it was imperative that construction was finished quickly to minimize interruptions on base. Stellar had originally agreed to complete the project in 30 days, and overperformed by finishing in 25.
The project was intentionally scheduled over the holiday season to coincide with many Marines leaving MCAS Beaufort to be with their families, further reducing the project’s impact.

Beaufort MCX—a 16,000-square-foot mall with a food court, retail stores and a 6,500-square-foot gas station—is one of the few places on base where service members can shop for necessities like groceries, clothing, beauty supplies, electronics and gas.

“Strategic and effective construction management was the key to getting this job done right,” says Travis Wilson, Assistant Project Manager, Commercial/Military, Stellar. “There was a lot of communication between subcontractors, stakeholders and the owner. Everyone knew how important the schedule was and they worked to coordinate every part of the project to stay ahead of it.”
Beaufort sits on Port Royal Island, nestled between brackish low country tributaries 15 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. In other words, it is a humid place with salty air, and 15 years of salty air had created a great deal of corrosion on the MCX fuel station. Stellar crews removed the built-up corrosion and repainted the station bright white, in addition to striping the parking lot. The face of the canopy was replaced and parts of the canopy that were missing from wind and storm damage were restored.
Eye-catching entrance and signage
Prior to Stellar’s renovation of Beaufort MCX, the mall’s signage consisted of a 5-foot “church-style” marquee, with block lettering that slid into each side. That outdated design was replaced with a 20-foot-tall monument sign.
The previous entry area was a flat, beige, unlit facade with MCX’s logo. The new signage features a bold, curved design with lighting to illuminate the MCX logo on a white background, elevating it from the rest of the building. While the GNC and barber shop entrances are located directly below the entry feature, crews completed the renovation without interrupting either business.
Superior construction management and efficient teamwork between Stellar crews and subcontractors led to the project finishing four weeks ahead of schedule.
“Stellar has been a great partner not only on the Beaufort MCX project but on many others as well,” says David Brown, Project Manager, Marine Corps Community Services. “We’ve successfully partnered with their team on several occasions over the years, and they always provide outstanding customer-centric service.”
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Joe Mark is Operations Manager, Public Sector/Military for Stellar, which provides award-winning construction management at-risk, design-build and general contracting services for a range of commercial and public sector markets across the United States.