Albemarle facility could bring 1,500 jobs to area

By Stephanie Kassab | 978-7274
Published: August 12, 2008

Officials broke ground in Albemarle County on Tuesday for a facility that will house experts in analyzing military intelligence.

The $61 million project will bring hundreds of mostly white-collar intelligence-related jobs to the area. Overall, some 1,500 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be added locally as a result of the project, according to Department of Defense estimates.

The new Joint-Use Intelligence

Analysis Facility will house analysts to perform similar tasks handled at the National Ground Intelligence Center, the existing U.S. Army intelligence facility on Boulders Road off U.S. 29.

Federal officials refer to the overall development, including the existing and planned facilities, as Rivanna Station.

The Defense Intelligence Agency will relocate some intelligence analysis functions to the new facility. But NGIC will not compete with the new facility. Rather, the two facilities will work together to solve military-related problems through information sharing and joint-intelligence analysis.

“We will see increased collaboration,” Col. Steve Hood said. “The JUAIF brings to NGIC some much needed breathing space.”

The new facility will comprise 170,000 gross square feet. Officials expect the facility to be completed by 2010 and have all employees moved in completely by 2011.

The NGIC facility is the Department of Defense’s main producer of ground forces intelligence, such as analyses of foreign military capabilities and intentions, according to Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, who is also director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

“We are in a changed strategic environment … a period of persistent conflict,” Maples said. “This facility provides great analytic capability [and] enables us in other areas of expertise.”

U.S. Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-Rocky Mount, said he believes the new facility will enhance NGIC’s current intelligence analyses.

“It’s a great asset,” Goode said. “If a commander is in the field, they can tell what’s around the corner.”Most of the new facility’s analysts will be transferring from DIA and NGIC. About 800 will transfer from DIA and 200 from NGIC.

Maples explained that even if the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had not occurred, the facility would still be necessary today for intelligence operations.

“Even without the specific event of 9/11, the strategic environment of the world would result in us having [the facility] today,” Maples said.

Officials have been working on the facility since 2005. The facility was commissioned on Nov. 9, 2005, by Base Realignment and Closure, the statutory process used by the defense department to reorganize and create new infrastructure.

The new Rivanna Station facility will employ military personnel, civilians and contractors.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Norfolk district granted a contract April 1 to Archer Western Con-tractors in Chicago to design and construct the facility.