Springfield Makes 'Short List' for FBI Headquarters

Springfield is still in the running to be the headquarters of the FBI.

A joint panel of the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has concluded site evaluations for the new FBI Headquarters and has identified three sites, including Springfield, as potential locations, according to a GSA news release sent out on Tuesday:

The potential sites for a new consolidated headquarters for the FBI are:

•Springfield - The site known as the GSA Franconia Warehouse Complex located near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Franconia Road in Fairfax County, Virginia.

•Greenbelt - A portion of the site known as the Greenbelt Metro Station located near the intersection of Interstates 95/495 and Exit 24 (Greenbelt Station) in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

•Landover - The site known as the former Landover Mall located near the intersection of Interstates 95/495 and MD 202 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

The state’s congressional delegation weighed in Tuesday:

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), Jim Moran (D-VA-8), Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) released this statement Tuesday, following the announcement that Springfield is a finalist for a relocated Federal Bureau of Investigations headquarters. The General Services Administration selected three sites for its shortlist, two of which are in Maryland and one in Fairfax County.

“We are very pleased that a Virginia site has been included on the shortlist for the new FBI headquarters,” the lawmakers said. “The Springfield site is a cost effective selection that’s accessible by many different transportation options, and Northern Virginia is home to a majority of FBI personnel, the FBI’s major training facility at Quantico, and many key defense and intelligence agencies. This is not about what is best for Virginia or best for Maryland. It should be about what is best for the FBI and its mission. We believe that the Springfield site best offers the FBI what it needs.”

Next Steps
GSA will conduct National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews on each the three sites, which includes opportunities for public comment. During the NEPA review, GSA will initiate the first of a two-phase Request For Proposal (RFP) seeking qualified developers.

The second phase includes the solicitation of development proposals from qualified developers identified in the first phase.

Do you think Springfield will be the ultimate location of the FBI? Why or why not?