Where Everyone Lives

This is where the Maryland BRAC-related job holders live.

- Brad Aaron

It's Over and Where We Go from Here

Well, today is the official end of BRAC 2005 and Maryland, while continuing to face many challenges from the consolidation, was an overall winner, gaining jobs (and a lot more traffic).

While we will continue to follow the repercussions of BRAC as they arise, shortly this blog will move to a more government contracts focus - stay tuned for details.

- Brad Aaron

Ominous News for the Mark Center

The Mark Center - which has been an ongoing source of controversy due to the projected inability of the surrounding transportation network to handle the additional BRAC traffic - is now the subject of a disturbing report regarding its security.

- Brad Aaron

Winding Down in APG

Harford County has its last BRAC town hall meeting.

- Brad Aaron

Oops

Somebody forgot to figure out if the power source for the $780m expansion of the National Naval Center in Bethesda is adequate to support the expansion. Turns out it is not.

- Brad Aaron

BRAC "Huge Challenge" in Virginia

Congressman notes inadequate traffic improvements in response to BRAC-related moves in Virginia.

- Brad Aaron

APG BRAC: 10,000 jobs short

BRAC's anticipated job impact in the Aberdeen area is turning out not to be quite as strong as originally expected.

- Brad Aaron

"Beyond BRAC"

Ft. Meade's commander looks "beyond BRAC" to the future of Ft. Meade.

- Brad Aaron

APG-Area Legislator Concerned About MD's Commitment

State Senator Jacobs recently expressed concerns that Maryland is not meeting its commitment to address infrastructure challenges posed by BRAC to the area surrounding APG.

- Brad Aaron

One Month to Go

30 days from today will mark the date that the BRAC Commission has established as the deadline for completion of all of BRAC 2005.

- Brad Aaron

Mark Center Move in Process

Despite local legislative and executive objections, personnel have started to arrive at the Mark Center.

- Brad Aaron

"Triage Approach" to Ft. Meade Traffic

As September 15 approaches and few traffic improvements funded and/or implemented, Ft. Meade braces for the impact.

- Brad Aaron

Leadership Change at Fort Meade

A new commander assumes leadership post.


- Brad Aaron

Maryland BRAC Traffic Update

Even as Maryland comes up $430M short in its preparations for BRAC, work near the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is proceeding on schedule.


- Brad Aaron

BRAC Becoming a Political Hot Potato in VA

While implementation of BRAC has been relatively smooth in Maryland, it is turning into an election campaign issue in Virginia.

- Brad Aaron

Status of Ft. Meade in the BRAC Process

Listen to what local leaders have to say about where Ft. Meade is today as BRAC winds down.

- Brad Aaron

BRAC-Related Job Losses at APG

While APG is gaining many jobs from the BRAC reorganization, here's a reminder that BRAC also can take away jobs.


- Brad Aaron

Ft. Monmouth News

New Jersey's Ft. Monmouth might get a temporary reprieve from its September 2011 closing date.

- Brad Aaron

Mark Center: How It Happened

This is an interesting look at the decisions and actions taken by Alexandria city government that precipitated the selection of the Mark Center.

- Brad Aaron

Possible Delay in BRAC in Maryland

Lost in all of the conversation about a delay in implementing BRAC in Virginia is the potential of a postponement of BRAC in Maryland. Specifically, the transfer of personnel from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda may be delayed if, as feared, the Bethesda facility (including operating rooms) isn't ready to receive patients.

- Brad Aaron

VA Governor: Stop BRAC

Gov. McDonnell has formally asked DoD to stop the Mark Center move until certain traffic infrastructure changes have been implemented.

- Brad Aaron

Some Positive BRAC Opinion

While many of the more recent posts here have focused on the negative impact of BRAC on the region (i.e., traffic, traffic and traffic), here are some alternative thoughts.

- Brad Aaron

Fairfax County's Mark Center Decision

Previously undecided, Fairfax County has announced it will not sue the Pentagon to prevent the Mark Center move.

- Brad Aaron

VA Governor on Mark Center

Gov. McDonnell expressed support yesterday for an 18 month delay in the BRAC move to the Mark Center.

- Brad Aaron

More on BRAC in Alexandria

Following up on Friday's post, Prince William County has declined to sue the Pentagon, but Fairfax County is still considering a suit to stop the move to the Mark Center. Meanwhile, a DoD IG report, helpful to those opposing the Mark Center plan, has been released.


- Brad Aaron

Congressman Supports Anti-BRAC Lawsuit

Representative Moran has come out in support of a lawsuit against the Pentagon to prevent the implementation of BRAC at the Mark Center in Alexandria, VA.

- Brad Aaron

The Next BRAC?

There is local speculation regarding a possible 2015 BRAC.

- Brad Aaron

DISA Opens at Fort Meade

DISA has officially moved to Fort Meade.

- Brad Aaron

BRAC at Belvoir

Here's a nice look at how BRAC is playing out at Fort Belvoir. - Brad Aaron

Possible Funds for BRAC Traffic Relief in Bethesda

Surprisingly, the likely to be approved federal budget covering the remaining 6 months of FY2011 will include $300M for traffic improvements around military hospitals impacted by BRAC. The money must be applied for but represents a potential funding source to cover traffic fixes around the newly created Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. - Brad Aaron

BRAC's Impact on the Local Residential Real Estate Market

While Delaware is still waiting to see the impact of APG's BRAC influx on its real estate market, at least one firm thinks BRAC will help raise real estate prices in the Baltimore metropolitan area by at least 2% this year. - Brad Aaron

BRAC's Impact - Updated

With the well documented impact of BRAC on employment, economic growth and, of course, traffic, surprisingly many communities in Maryland and Virginia are not yet experiencing the influx of new residents that many expected would accompany this expansion (subscription required). By way of example, take a look at the city of Aberdeen, home to APG; its population increased by just 8% in the most recent census while Maryland as a whole increased by 9%. - Brad Aaron

Reflections of Director of the Pentagon’s Basing Directorate

Peter Potochney, director of the Pentagon’s basing directorate: BRAC 2005 is
"more about restructuring than . . . about trimming excess capacity."

- Brad Aaron

More Discouraging BRAC-Related Traffic Predictions

MoCo Executive Leggett: BRAC will turn Wisconsin Avenue into a "parking lot."

- Brad Aaron

BRAC U?

Legislators are looking at creating a college in Harford or Cecil County to train students for the technology-related jobs anticipated to be generated by APG in the wake of BRAC.

- Brad Aaron

Hopkins' BRAC Move

Johns Hopkins Medicine is expanding its presence in Odenton, evidently in response to actual and anticipated BRAC-related population growth.

- Brad Aaron

BRAC Official: Ft. Meade Area Needs $5B

Jean Friedberg, the regional transportation coordinator for the Fort Meade Regional Growth Management Committee: $5 Billion (yes - billion with a "B") in federal funds needed to implement local traffic improvements necessary to accommodate BRAC at Ft. Meade.

- Brad Aaron

Harford County Commission Recommendations Released

A commission formed to recommend ideas to promote financing of BRAC-related construction issued a report yesterday detailing some proposals.

- Brad Aaron

Possible Traffic Relief in Arlington, VA

Local officials are hoping Congress approves $20M for traffic improvements around the Mark Center in Arlington (although any such improvements would not be in place prior to BRAC's September implementation deadline).

- Brad Aaron

Detailed Look at APG

If you want to get into the nuts and bolts of what is happening at APG from an organizational standpoint, this is a great article.

- Brad Aaron

Some Folks Reeeaaalllly Don't Want to be Part of BRAC

See here for details . . .

- Brad Aaron

More on the NAS Report

WaPo has more details on a discouraging report.

- Brad Aaron

National Academy of Sciences Study: BRAC Traffic Bad

The NAS confirms in a report what many suspected: Bases are not prepared for anticipated BRAC-related traffic.

- Brad Aaron

Disappointing Maryland BRAC Monies

Maryland's BRAC Revitalization and Incentive Zone program held the promise of millions of dollars to assist counties in infrastructure improvements in anticipation of BRAC. To date, however, the program has paid out a total of $8,000, due to the program's financing scheme that relies on fees to be paid by credit-starved developers of projects around Ft. Meade and APG that have never come to fruition.

- Brad Aaron

APG: One Army Job = 2 Contractor Jobs

According to Harford County economic development director Jim Richardson, there will ultimately be "roughly two contracting jobs for every new BRAC-related Army job" at APG.

- Brad Aaron

BRAC Today at Fort Meade

Here's a nice overview of where BRAC stands at Ft. Meade as of January 2011.

- Brad Aaron

Increase in Housing Purchases in Harford County

With a BRAC-related influx of new personnel to Aberdeen, it should be no surprise that Harford County has recently had the largest increase in homes sales compared to the other rest of the region, which has been mostly flat or decreasing.

- Brad Aaron

SAIC Adds More Personnel to Aberdeen

SAIC is moving more employees closer to an expanding APG.

- Brad Aaron