SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio's military community will have a new place to shop on JBSA Fort Sam Houston.

Once complete it'll be more than 250,000 square feet with modern amenities.

"This has been an incredibly long time coming," said 502nd Force Support Group Commander Col. David Raugh.

For the thousands of people who walk in and out of these doors every day, the $54 million upgrade will be a welcome sight.

"This is definitely needed. The patrons who use this thing walk right now into a relatively old, outdated facility. This is going to provide a state of the art facility that we're all going to be able to use," Raugh said.

In a few years, it's set to take shape right next door to the current facility and replace it.

"There's going to be eight food concepts. It's going to have a pharmacy, a dental clinic and a huge main Exchange," said Central Region Senior Vice President Anna Iosefo.

"Actually for about the last ten years we've been trying to get this new one built. The issue we've had was sequestration. So back in 2013, this thing came off line and we're able to get it jump-started again," Raugh said.

Since the project is a joint effort, there is a two-fold benefit.

"We actually get a dividend from this. So the profits that are made by AAFES go back into our community - everything from child care to outdoor recreation," said Raugh.

"The shopping center is going to be really the prototype for all of the Exchange for us," Iosefo said.

Officials say the facility should be up and running by 2020.