Posted on 05/11/2005 3:31:26 AM PDT by chambley1
A “perfect storm” created by federal security guidelines and proposed military base closings could have a devastating effect on the office space the government rents in Northern Virginia and the region's economy, U.S. Rep. James Moran (D-8th) told defense contractors and commercial realtors Monday at a hastily convened meeting in Crystal City.
Of 140 buildings in Northern Virginia that house federal defense employees, not one meets the new guidelines, he said.
“We anticipate DOD [the Department of Defense] is going to urge a relocation of virtually all the office space in this immediate area,” Moran said.
He called the meeting to urge defense contractors and commercial realtors to begin lobbying their contacts now, even before a list of proposed base closings is announced Friday morning—coincidentally, an unlucky Friday the 13th.
“The defense contracting community is not fully engaged on this as yet. There is no reason to, until it becomes real. It could become real later this week,” Moran said.
He said the pending Base Realignment and Closings list could affect thousands of local employees.
“We all know a lot of people in defense," he said. "We need to let them know it is counterproductive—you've got a good thing going” in Northern Virginia, where “the smartest people” are concentrated to create “synergy” among defense contractors, military leaders and the intelligence and technology industries.
The new security guidelines would require office buildings housing 25 or more defense employees to be “set back” from the nearest road by 148 feet.
“We can't afford 150-foot setbacks,” Moran said at Monday's meeting at a Crystal City office building that does not meet the guidelines.
In addition, any office where 11 or more defense employees meet regularly on security issues would have to comply. That would include half the commercial space in Arlington, Moran said.
He suggested it would be wiser to invest the money to increase security and structural integrity of buildings currently being leased.
The requirements would also dampen any eagerness to build new office space on speculation, Moran said, by adding as much as 20 percent to the price of a building, money that would be passed down through higher rents that nongovernment entities would not be willing to pay.
Calling the security guidelines “Draconian,” Moran said they could combine with the anticipated closings for military bases to create “as threatening a situation” as Northern Virginia faced in the real estate market decline of the early 1990s.
At the time, Crystal City was classified as a military installation under BRAC and saw a dramatic decline in the presence of Navy personnel, draining Arlington County’s economy.
“If you're on the BRAC list, say goodbye to whomever's sitting next to you, because you won't be here soon,” said Scott Sterling of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, referring to the potential effect of any changes.
“I'm very nervous. I don't know what you do if you wind up on a BRAC list,” said Barbara Favola (D), chairman of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors.
Steve Bartow of UBS Financial Services and a former chairman of the Arlington County Chamber of Commerce, said, aside from giving up the office space, the Defense Department would also give up all the secure infrastructure—phones, computer networks, etc.--that it has already invested in those offices.
Moran said one could argue that "security would be compromised" by giving up the "synergy" already in place.
“It is a death list. This is not like the federal government. It is almost impossible to reverse it,” Moran said. “And the decisions are made in virtual secrecy.”
Even more alarming for Fairfax County officials, perhaps, is the possible effect the additional layer of security would have on plans to extend Metrorail to Dulles International Airport.
“We are trying to put Metro to Tysons. SAIC would be a direct beneficiary [of rail to Tysons]. And now they say, that's not what they want?” Moran said.
DOD's new safety guidelines go into effect for leases signed after October 2009. But the list of base closings would have an impact immediately.
The Base Realignment and Closing Act requires Congress to approve the list in its entirety, with none of the political maneuvering for “pork” that accompanies most government spending plans.
These fat leases are political patronage which at the very least require political clearance.
Moran's rat squealing is music to my ears.
U.S. Rep. James Moran is a pathetic, drooling, waste of sperm.
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Amazing, considering how they accuse the GOP of pandering to business interests. Oh, I forgot, national security doesn't matter.
MANASSAS!!!!
We just got the first spoils of the war, an FBI facility housing 300 people. We had enough space to meet all the requirements of securing a building against terrorist attacks.
Moran seems more interested in keeping his government employees in his district than he is in the security of those employees.
In this day of teleconferencing, proximity is an outmoded concept.
This will also make a small dent in the horrible traffic situation in the region, since eventually these 50,000 employees won't all be commuting to the same place.
Some of us leased-space-workers in NVA are in exile due to the Pentagon renovation that started in 1998. If they hurry up and finish it, we can move back in (supposedly).
I agree! Moron...er...Moran is so crooked that when he dies, he won't be buried, they will just take a giant screwdriver and screw him into the ground!
That sound you will soon be hearing, is the POP of the housing market there soon to follow.
But keep in mind that if this comes to pass, your Alexandria house and my Alexandria house won't be worth the marine clay they sit on.
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