CISA’s $524M headquarters slated for DHS campus in 2027

Dive Brief:

• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will get new headquarters in Washington that will consolidate its workforce in the area and put the agency in the same location as the Department of Homeland Security.
• The General Services Administration and DHS awarded a $524 million contract for the construction of the new facility on Aug. 16, the agencies said Monday. CISA’s new headquarters will reside at the St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington.
• “Construction is estimated to start in fall of 2024 and be completed in 2027,” a GSA spokesperson said via email. “The entire $524 million in funding has been secured.”

Dive Insight:

CISA’s move to the St. Elizabeths West Campus across Anacostia River in southeast Washington is part of an ongoing effort to consolidate DHS and its components in one location. The building is designed to accommodate about 4,000 people.

“Bringing the extraordinary Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to the Department of Homeland Security’s St. Elizabeths Campus will better facilitate collaboration across our components and offices, and inspire cohesive work to ensure our nation’s infrastructure is secure and resilient,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.

CISA’s workforce in the Washington area is spread out and staffers currently operate out of five non-government offices the agency rents in Arlington County, Virginia, an agency spokesperson told Cybersecurity Dive.

“CISA requires a long-term solution for our headquarters to best meet the needs of our agency. We are pleased that GSA has awarded a building construction contract to move the process forward,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement.

The new 630,000 square foot building will house specialized areas to support CISA’s response capacity to emerging cybersecurity threats and challenges, and streamline communication for a more unified approach to national security, a DHS spokesperson said via email.

CISA plans to hold an event in the coming months to share more details about the project.