US announces closure of main FBI headquarters in Washington
The US announces the closure of the FBI headquarters (Photo: wikimedia.org)
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the closure of the historic FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., though a new bureau office has not yet been selected, according to Bloomberg.
All Bureau personnel will be relocated from the J. Edgar Hoover Building to a new office previously occupied by the US Agency for International Development.
“After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility,” Patel said.
According to Patel, the move will save taxpayer money and better meet the operational needs of the FBI.
Critics note that the brutalist-style FBI building, constructed in 1975, is considered outdated and cramped for the bureau’s staff. However, debates over whether and where to relocate the headquarters have dragged on for years.
If Patel’s promised relocation proceeds, it would keep key agency personnel close to the Department of Justice, the White House, and other federal institutions.
Previously, plans were made in Maryland to construct a new headquarters after a lengthy site search, with Congress providing funding for a suburban location in Greenbelt, outside Washington, D.C.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore and state officials filed a lawsuit last month to block the cancellation of this plan.
The Maryland site was chosen because it offered the lowest cost to taxpayers, the best transportation access for FBI staff and visitors, and the greatest assurance to the government regarding project completion timelines.
What’s known about the J. Edgar Hoover Building
The old FBI office is located in Washington, D.C., and is named after former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
The 260,209-square-meter building has three underground floors, as well as an underground garage, a secure system of elevators and corridors, and stands 49 meters tall. Inside the old FBI headquarters are facilities including a vehicle maintenance garage, gyms, a medical center, a morgue, a printing press, and more.
Previously, former FBI Director James Comey faced federal charges for providing false testimony and obstructing Congress, marking a new stage in the conflict between Donald Trump and his longtime critic.
