South Bend, IN - General Contractor F.H. Paschen has reached a major milestone in the renovation of the Indiana National Guard South Bend Armory at 2402 E. Rose Street in South Bend, Indiana. The facility, also known as the CPT Lyle J. Thompson USARC, serves as the temporary home for 130 soldiers of an Indiana Army National Guard Engineering Company.
As one of more than 60 armories across Indiana, the South Bend Armory on Rose Street has sat vacant for almost four years. Kicking off the project, the top priority for the Indiana National Guard and the F.H. Paschen project team was restoring the climate control systems.
Critical HVAC Repairs Restore Heat to the Armory
The Indiana Building Group of F.H. Paschen focused on the five existing Roof Top Units (RTUs) that are designed to manage the building’s heating and ventilation. Crews serviced four of these units and replaced one RTU entirely, ensuring the heat was back on in December before the winter weather arrived.
“Getting the HVAC systems running and operational was our first goal,” said F.H. Paschen Indiana Building Group Project Manager Kylie Steele. “These are America’s heroes and the Indiana National Guard needed this space functional for their soldiers. Restoring the heat was the most important step in making the building habitable again.”
Interior Renovations Address Long-Term Infrastructure Issues
The project requires flexibility and creative problem-solving as the construction team works around active military drills and daily maintenance activities. The four-year vacancy revealed several hidden challenges in this armory, including non-functional water valves, clogged main lines, and electrical disconnects that required rewiring. Despite these hurdles, water lines were fully functional for the first January drill period.
“We worked closely with our subcontractors to overcome the issues that only appear once you start opening up an old building,” said F.H. Paschen Superintendent Jake Miller. “Repairing the plumbing and electrical systems quickly allowed the unit to stay on schedule with their training.”
Preconstruction activity started in October 2025 with renovation work starting in December 2025 that to date includes replacing sixteen (16) restroom flush valves, two hot water heaters, a boiler, and an 80,000 BTU furnace. The 120-day interior renovation also covers new carpeting in classrooms, fresh paint, thirteen (13) new windows, and updated light fixtures.
F.H. Paschen is partnering with Griffen Plumbing and Heating, Kleckner Interior Systems, and Shive-Hattery Inc. Architecture & Engineering to finish the project by March 2026. A new roof will be installed this spring to complete the project.
Originally reported by F.H. Paschen.
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