ATF Begins Groundbreaking on New Headquarters

Washington, DC - On April 10, 2002, at 10:00 a.m., Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Director Bradley A. Buckles, Under Secretary of Treasury Jimmy Gurulé, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO.), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Under Secretary for Transportation Security Administration John W. Magaw, GSA Regional Administrator Donald C. Williams, District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams, and other dignitaries will take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new ATF headquarters.

Construction will begin in the spring of 2003 on a five-acre site located on the corner of New York Avenue and Florida Avenue NE, and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2005. The building will be approximately 422,000 square feet, and has been conceived and designed completely under the new post-Oklahoma City Federal guidelines and standards.

The General Services Administration has selected Moshe Safdie & Associates, of Somerville, MA, as the architect/engineer for the building. The final design concept meets high standards of design excellence, and underwent a rigorous peer evaluation, with the full participation of the District of Columbia. Moshe Safdie & Associates is a firm with vast experience in constructing buildings with various security needs while incorporating the maximum amount of natural light possible. The firm is also known for its use of natural materials for construction, and for maximizing the use of green space.

This office building will enhance the mission of ATF, serve as a landmark facility within the District, and will support the revitalization efforts of the District in the New York Avenue corridor. The new headquarters will connect a planned Metro station with the New York Avenue corridor, and encourage the development of retail units between the new station and headquarters.

Director Buckles said, "As we celebrate this groundbreaking today, it should be noted that nothing ever achieved is a solo performance. The common threads that serve as the true building blocks for today's ceremony are the imagination, the dedication, and the cooperation of many talented individuals and organizations. GSA's and ATF's partnership with the District of Columbia will serve not only ATF's mission well, but also the citizens of the District of Columbia."

GSA National Capital Regional Administrator Donald C. Williams said, "GSA continues to work closely with our customers at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to create a world class workplace, one that is functional, attractive, and secure. This new facility will be that and more. When complete, this building will help ensure that ATF will continue to meet its critical mission, while it creates an impressive gateway along the New York Avenue corridor in our nation's Capital."

ATF has a long history of community involvement in the District. ATF programs include the Arson Task Force, which is comprised of ATF agents and DC fire investigators; training and supporting the Metropolitan Police Department through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network; and tracing all firearms recovered in crimes in DC. ATF employees also give of their time and financial resources in their work with Martha's Table and Covenant House DC.