The FBI is moving its headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland, from its current home in Washington, D.C., the General Services Administration (GSA) announced on Nov. 8.
The move ends a yearslong search for new headquarters for the government agency, which has been based in the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington since 1975.
“GSA determined Greenbelt to be the best site because it was the lowest cost to taxpayers, provided the greatest transportation access to FBI employees and visitors, and gave the government the most certainty on project delivery schedule,” a GSA spokesperson told multiple media outlets.
The GSA oversees the management and development of federal properties.
“It also provided the highest potential to advance sustainability and equity,” the GSA spokesperson continued.
Robin Carnahan, the GSA administrator, added that the administration “looks forward to building the FBI a state-of-the-art headquarters campus in Greenbelt to advance their critical mission for years to come.”
“Thank you to everyone at GSA, DOJ, FBI, Congress, and others who helped reach this important milestone after a comprehensive, multi-year effort,” she said.
Members of Maryland’s federal, state, and local governments, including Gov. Wes Moore and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, also confirmed the new location in a statement on Nov. 8, calling it a “historic moment” for the FBI and the United States.
“For decades, the dilapidated J. Edgar Hoover Building has failed to meet the FBI’s operational needs, which has undermined our national security,” officials said.
FBI Building Has ‘Crumbled Before Our Eyes’
“The once fabled building has crumbled before our eyes, with nets surrounding the facility for years to protect pedestrians from falling debris. Today’s decision by the General Services Administration (GSA) will ensure we fulfill the FBI’s dire, longstanding need for a new consolidated headquarters that meets the modern-day demands on the Bureau’s work to protect Americans and our nation,” they added.Maryland officials added that they agree with the GSA’s determination that the new Greenbelt site is “best suited to serve the present and future FBI and the dedicated public servants who work tirelessly to protect America and uphold the law.”
The new location would also cost taxpayers significantly less than others, they said.
“Considering cost to the taxpayer, equity, construction timeline, transportation access, and the FBI’s mission requirements, we have long believed that Greenbelt is the best site for this crucial facility,” they said.
Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said they were “deeply disappointed” by the decision, which they claimed was made “despite the clear case that Virginia is the best home for the FBI.”
The lawmakers also said political interference had “tainted” an established GSA process.
“We spent years appropriately criticizing the last Administration for politicizing the new FBI headquarters—only for a new Administration to come in and allow politics to taint the selection process,” they said. “We know from our experience recruiting Hilton, Capital One, Northrop Grumman, Amazon, and many other companies to Virginia that our Commonwealth is the best state for business, and we’ll continue to focus on promoting economic growth and supporting law enforcement in the Commonwealth.”
It isn’t yet clear who will develop the building, which is expected to take several years to construct and requires funding from Congress, according to the publication.
