Rapid City's largest construction project in the past year, even bigger than the $25 million multipurpose ice arena addition at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, will officially start Tuesday.

Ceremonies at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, will celebrate a number of changes for Camp Rapid, headquarters for the South Dakota National Guard.

The public can help break ground for the $29 million Joint Forces Headquarters Readiness Center. Those gathered also will cut the ribbon to open the camp's reception center. And to get there, you will use the new northwest gate off W. Main Street.

Featured event officials will include Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., Rapid City Mayor Alan Hanks and Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Steven Doohen.

A news release said it will take two years to build the joint forces headquarters, which will replace the current headquarters built in 1936. When completed, it will allow consolidating administrative and field operational offices now scattered across the camp.

Officials serving nearly 4,500 soldier and airmen will need space, and will get 132,000 square feet.

There's another project coming -the $14.4 million barracks and education building. It will be the third, and final, phase of a multi-use complex that combines barracks, dining, shower, education and administration facilities. That complex will replace an assortment of tin huts that once served as living quarters for guardsmen at the camp for various training and mobilization assignments.

Congress set aside the funding for the Camp Rapid projects in a military spending package approved last July.