Updates on the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) Development Projects
Three major development projects are in the works for the BARC, and Prince George’s County, within the following years. We have done our best to keep residents aware of these projects through our weekly eBlasts, social media platforms, and town halls. If you would like to receive similar news please email or call us at our contact information below.
1.) The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) Replacement Currency Production Facility
The BEP is an older facility built in the 1990’s. The BEP wishes to improve their facility to support the country’s current needs mostly with currency redesign efforts and updated anti-counterfeit security features. Instead of renovating their building in Washington DC, they are moving to Prince George’s County, using about a 100-acre site from the BARC, on 5601-5699, Odell Road. This action was certified on October 8th, when the U.S. Department of Treasury released their record of decision approving the new facility. Construction on this site is planned to begin during 2022, and there is currently no expected date of when it will be completed. Local environmentalists are still opposed and are considering options.
2.) U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Muirkirk Road Campus
The FDA has a campus on Muirkirk Road, known as the Muirkirk Road Campus (MRC). As of now, the FDA activities are relatively simple, retaining a lot of open land with small buildings that are estimated to staff up to 300 employees. Currently the FDA is processing a Master Plan that proposes to lay out MRC’s next 20 of development. FDA claims that this plan is a cost-effective way of improving the campus by creating more buildings for office space and parking lots, so as to adapt to the expected increase of on-site employees reaching 1,800 within the next twenty years. These relocations are planning to improve the campus’ physical, cultural, environmental, historic, transportation, and regulatory conditions. The public review period for the environmental impact statement passed this summer, and the proposed Master Plan is currently awaiting a National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) hearing. If it continues through the legal process with little setback, it is expected to be finalized and signed in late 2022.
3.) The NCPC BARC Building 434 Renovation and Additions
Last, the NCPC is seeking to renovate one of BARC’s barns. The NCPC is planning on turning BARC’s building 434, at 6900 Powder Mill, into a poultry quarantine house. This place will contain quarantine spaces for turkeys, so they can be kept in a controlled environment before going to research labs. This will renovate the existing barn while adding two new wings to it. The new building will be used to hold office space, restrooms, mechanical spaces, storage space, foot washing stations, and mechanical services. This project was finalized by the NCPC in February. A construction date has not yet been announced.
For more details on these development projects, please insert the following link into your URL browser to view the person of contact corresponding to the project and project websites with the most current information: https://bit.ly/BARCdev
Contact Us
Please keep in touch. Email us at councildistrict1@co.pg.md.us or call 301.952.3887. Se habla Español. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @TomDernogaD1