BRAC Is Happening Sooner

By Elizabeth P. Daily, Vice President, NAI Michael

The long anticipated moves by the military and contractors onto the Maryland bases are going to happen earlier than what had been projected.

I have been following these moves for sometime and now know that the projected deadline of September 2011 is just a deadline, not when the actual moves will happen.

DISA’s move into Fort Meade, as an example, will really be in high gear this spring with the move from Arlington since their building is 97% completed. Currently the 5,000 + staff have been in a holding position in Arlington due to the “finish” schedule of their new 1,000,000 foot facility on the Fort Meade Campus. The DISA staff on the Campus have been waiting for the completion of their new building.

The large contractors working in this space have already taken blocks of space near the Base so that it can be projected to tighten the space availability. The mid level contractors who are postponing their decisions will find the need to look further from the bases than they projected since space is going to be scarce close in.

The bottom line is the effect of this will be 100,000 to 200,000 people moving to Maryland in the next five to ten years due to the BRAC decisions. It will have a dramatic impact on the office market in the Baltimore Washington Corridor.

Those companies sitting on the side lines now should get their plans into high gear. Those who hesitate will be lost. Feel free to call for discussions or strategies, 301-918-2907.