After President Donald Trump announced Sept. 2 that he was moving the U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Huntsville, Ala., the location for the future home of the relocated agency has already been selected within the city's Redstone Arsenal, according to Al.com, a statewide digital news service.
And, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle added, the relocation process may go quicker than expected.
"I can't tell you the actual spot," he said in reference to where the facility will be sited, "but [arsenal officials] do have a spot already picked out. They have been working very closely [with federal officials]. There has always been a plan B scenario. Until it was actually announced, and until they were told by the [U.S.] Secretary of Defense this will happen, they were moving along with plans with everybody, from the FBI to the Army Material Command to the Missile Defense Agency to Marshall Space Flight Center."
Approximately 60 acres of land near the center of the arsenal have been identified for the new headquarters facility, the city said in a statement.
Redstone officials have already looked at temporary space that could be used to house the command in the early move-in stage.
"They've been doing a lot of the homework for what's necessary to be done, so we can move along very quickly," Battle said.
An earlier analysis by the U.S. Inspector General indicated there would likely be a phased transition to a permanent facility and that "constructing temporary operational facilities with the same capacity, connectivity and security as those already in use in Colorado Springs would take three to four years."
The same report noted the one-time cost for moving Space Command to Alabama was $426 million less than remaining in Colorado Springs due to lower personnel and construction costs.
Redstone Arsenal comprises 38,000 acres and is home to operations by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Missile Defense Agency, ATF, FBI and multiple Army commands like Aviation and Missile Command, and Space and Missile Defense Command.
New Road Construction to Support Influx of Jobs
Just how many jobs the U.S. Space Command will bring to Huntsville is yet to be determined, but local officials say that the city can handle all of them.
Axios reported that some estimates predict as many as 4,700 new jobs will open up in Huntsville over the next five years due to the Space Command's relocation.
But sudden growth brings growing pains, and Huntsville officials fielded questions Sept. 2 on whether the city's infrastructure is equipped for a large influx of new residents and commuters.
Battle told reporters that Huntsville has invested nearly $500 million in road projects in the last seven years, adding that "most of those roads … help us get people into the arsenal."
In the news release, the city also noted that it has "invested heavily to ensure mission readiness," including:
• more than $400 million in completed transportation projects and more than $250 million in active construction efforts;
• a total of $600 million in K-12 school enhancements;
• more than $200 million in healthcare expansions, including those at Huntsville Hospital; and
• another $150 million in quality-of-life improvements like recreation and community complexes, parks and greenways.
In addition, key projects specific to the Redstone Arsenal, according to the city, include:
• the completion of improvements to Zierdt Road and the widening of Research Park Boulevard;
• the ongoing construction work in widening Interstate 565 to I-65 and expand Martin Road from the Redstone Arsenal's Gate 7 west to Huntsville International Airport; and
• several that are still in the design phase, such as the plan to connect I-565 to Gate 9/Redstone Gateway Park and the Arsenal East Connector linking I-565 to a proposed Redstone gate near Triana Boulevard.
A recently-opened road project, the Northern Bypass, also is expected to make a dent in local traffic, especially on Memorial Parkway north of Huntsville, Axios reported.
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, who represents Huntsville and was on hand to open Memorial Parkway in the last week of August, told reporters Sept. 2 that he is ready to move forward with future phases of that project, and to get started on others.
"I want to do everything I can to bring every dollar back to North Alabama to ensure that Space Command is in a position to be successful," he said.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) President and CEO Don Moul also noted in the Huntsville news release that "the need for resilient and reliable energy has never been greater," and that TVA is "ready for the growth and opportunities that lie ahead" as the region prepares for the Space Command's relocation to North Alabama.
