Springfield Offered as FBI's New Home

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's looking for a new home in the Washington metro area, and if Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay has his way, the Bureau will be coming to Springfield.

The FBI has been considering moving from its current headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue since November, when a Government Accountability Office report gave the agency two options: demolish its D.C. headquarters and rebuild, or find a new location.

McKay is hoping the FBI chooses the second option. On Tuesday, he introduced a board matter to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors that would recommend to the FBI, the General Services Administration, and Fairfax County's members of Congress that the FBI relocate to office space owned by the GSA next to the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station. 

McKay's board matter unanimously passed.

"After the BRAC Mark Center debacle that saw thousands of jobs moved
to a location with no transit and a traffic-choked highway system, moving
the FBI headquarters to the GSA site would be a chance for the federal
government to make a smart decision," McKay's board matter reads, before touting the site's proximity to the Metro station, the VRE, and the Beltway.

"The FBI needs 2 million square feet of office space, located within two miles of a Metro station and within 2.5 miles of the Beltway according to the GAO." read the board matter. "Redeveloping existing sites in DC would be extremely expensive, especially given the post-911 security features that are now required."

Nancy-jo Manny, executive director of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, welcomes the news. "We stand firmly with Supervisor McKay on this" she said. "Finding a significant use for the GSA warehouse property would be very valuable for our community.  We have not been given a timeline for this project, but we would welcome the FBI to Springfield as soon as they can pack their bags."

Loudoun County and Prince George's County are also competing to host the new headquarters.