ST. LOUIS- The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency officially opened its new $1.7 billion campus in north St. Louis on Friday, marking what leaders called the start of a new chapter for the nation’s intelligence community.
“This isn’t just a building opening. This is the beginning of a new chapter for the NGA,” said Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, the NGA director, who spoke at a ceremony on the new campus grounds Friday.
Tulsi Gabbard, director of National Intelligence, joined Whitworth and Missouri politicians to celebrate the facility, which is expected to house about 3,000 employees.
“The work that our people do in the intelligence community must be connected with the community that we are charged to serve, here in a community like St. Louis,” Gabbard said.
The NGA is responsible for mapping and analyzing data from space to the ocean floor. It is critical work for U.S. national security, first responders and more.
Friday’s event offered the first public look inside the high-security building. But officials promise this to be a more accessible facility than most.
“This building, once it was approved and funded, was designed from that first architectural drawing to be more open than any other building in the intelligence community,” former NGA Director Robert Cardillo said.
Officials said the facility will make it easier to partner with private industry and academic institutions, potentially creating a national hub for the growing geospatial sector.
“It is attracting private industry that works with our intelligence communities, our defense industry,” said U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Dist. 1).
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Dist. 2) added that several universities have also be in talks with ways to collaborate and get involved at the new NGA campus.
Military leaders hope this can help build out a pipeline that will create the next generation of intelligence workers.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer and Gov. Mike Kehoe also spoke at Friday’s event. Spencer said the project could help drive economic growth in the city’s north side.
“Not only to recover from the tornado in this part of our city, but to build on the work of the NGA to be the economic engine that can turn our city into the growing region that we know we can be,” Spencer said.
The NGA’s new headquarters is expected to open in phases as employees transition to the site over the coming months.
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