The FBI is looking to move from the 37-year-old J. Edgar Hoover building, and is eying Greenbelt as a possible destination for a new headquarters.
The Bureau is also considering locations in Virginia’s Fairfax and Loudon counties, and has asked each interested area to submit a proposal.
The General Services Administration (GSA), which leases buildings to government agencies, declined to comment on the progress of choosing a location for the new headquarters.
Greenbelt city councilman Rodney Roberts said that the city council has not yet officially decided whether or not to pursue the FBI contract, but that he hopes to get approval at a council meeting in the near future.
According to Roberts, the building could bring 10,000 jobs to the city, as well as more people who would visit local businesses. A Washington Post article from January put the potential gain in jobs at 12,000.
Many of these jobs, however, would simply move from Washington, and would not necessarily employ new people in Greenbelt, although Roberts did point out that some of those who transfer would choose to live in the city.
There are three potential locations for the new building, including undeveloped areas to the north and south of the Greenbelt Metro station, known as the north and south core respectively, and land that is currently part of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC).
Roberts said that the south core location would be best, because it is closer to the station, and would not have as much environmental impact as if a building was constructed on BARC land.
“There is no environmentalist in the world who would want to put the FBI on open space,” said Roberts, referring to the 6,000 acre BARC facility.
However, the promise of job creation has some Greenbelt citizens putting aside their feelings towards the undisturbed land at BARC.
“We’re talking about 10,000 jobs at a time when we have 15 or 16 million people unemployed. I don’t care, build it,” said Greenbelt resident Pat Mahar.
James Yancey, an unemployed Greenbelt citizen, was also in favor of bringing to FBI building to Greenbelt, as long as it is not constructed too close to the city’s center.
“I think that [the jobs] are the most positive thing. I need one myself, anything to help the economy,” said Yancey.
Right now, a developer is planning on building 212 townhouses on the south core site, but the FBI is offering a trade, through which a developer could give up their current property for the FBI’s land in downtown Washington.
Prince George’s County would have to approve any plans to construct the building in Greenbelt, and the city council would need to rezone the area to the south of the metro station if the GSA chose that location there.
Other than this, however, the city council would not have a say in where the building is constructed.
“The county is not doing us any favors,” said Roberts, frustrated by the lack of progress from the county.
There is not yet a deadline for the GSA to make a decision on where to move the building.