A warehouse that has stood the test of time is getting a $4.8 million overhaul, a project set to ripple out from safer, better workspaces for employees to impacts felt in our daily lives. A weathered building from the 1960s, tucked within the Port Authority of Guam in Piti, is finally getting some much-needed TLC - 4.8 million worth, to be exact.

The port breaking ground Monday morning on a project to reinforce the structural integrity of Warehouse I, a facility that has withstood decades of Guam’s heat, rain, ocean, and storms.

“It’s extremely important that we take time to recognize and prioritize work when that infrastructure is being improved," stated Josh Tenorio, Guam's lieutenant governor. He and Port Authority general manager Rory Respicio both highlighting how the improvements will benefit employees, from upgrading weather protection, replacing outdated electrical systems, and overhauling fire protection measures, for a safer, more modern workspace.

Respicio said, “The rehabilitation of Warehouse I represents what really goes on in the Port - the employees who are housed here and the work they do - they maintain the gantry cranes, the yard equipment, this is what we call the ‘magicians.”

Keynote speaker Governor Lou Leon Guerrero also underscoring the port’s vital role in sustaining Guam’s trade and commerce, and the employees’ everyday impact on the island.

“All your work rolls into this port authority," she announced. "Know that because of you, our people can have food at the table, because of you, our people can have the education that they need, because of you, the people can have the healthcare that they need.

“Really simply, if you look at it, if you’re not here to move the goods and services from the container, to the table—we will not be the Guam that everybody loves to live in.”

The $4.8 million project has been awarded to BME & Sons, Inc.