Relocation of TSA headquarters to Springfield will bring 3,000 jobs to the area

Travellers apply for TSA expedited screening at Washington Dulles International Airport. [TSA]

The U.S. General Services Administration’s decision to build a new headquarters for the Transportation Security Administration in Springfield is expected to bring more than 3,000 jobs to the area.

The GSA awarded a $316 million contract to Boston Properties, which owns the site at 6595 Springfield Center Drive planned for the new 625,000-square foot TSA building.

The TSA headquarters will be leased by the GSA for 15 years (with a five-year renewal option) with an estimated full occupancy date in 2020. The agency is currently based at Pentagon City.

The site is close to the Springfield-Franconia Metro station, Springfield Town Center, and Interstate 95. The project is expected to spur additional redevelopment in the area and could boost Springfield’s chances for attracting the new FBI headquarters.

“This is a clear-cut success for Springfield, Lee District, and Fairfax County as a whole,” said Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay (Lee). The TSA’s decision “is no doubt due to our hard work revitalizing and building Springfield into what it is now: a successful economic powerhouse and transportation hotspot for the Mid-Atlantic region.”