CITY WORKING TO ADD DEA, ATF TO FBI'S BLOCK

Birmingham city officials are working on a deal that would turn a block
near the civic center into a federal law enforcement enclave.

The city's Finance Committee approved a step Monday to get property that
could house offices for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the
Drug Enforcement Agency. If the city can complete the deal, the new
buildings would locate across the street from a new 75,000-square-foot FBI
office.

"Just imagine what that does," Kincaid said. "We're just excited about it."

The General Services Administration, which handles federal site searches,
in April selected Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex-owned property
for the FBI's new base, even though the FBI had initially favored another
site. The BJCC property lies between 17th and 18th streets North and 10th
and 11th avenues.

Thomas Walker, the GSA's Atlanta-based assistant regional administrator for
public buildings, said the ATF and DEA plans have been in the works for
about two years.

"We think it will be a major benefit to the federal agencies," Walker said.
"And we think it would be good for the City of Birmingham to have them all
downtown."

City officials said a federal complex will spur new development and new
businesses. It will augment a planned redevelopment for the Fountain
Heights neighborhood, said Councilman Elias Hendricks who represents the
downtown area.

"It's another piece of the pie,' Hendricks said

The deal is not yet done. The finance committee approved an expenditure of
up to $90,000 on Monday for rights to the property. The option for the
first parcel, which the committee approved Monday, would cost $20,000. The
deal is contingent on securing rights to the remaining parcels, said Jack
Fields, director of real estate for the BJCC.

If the city and BJCC can get options for all three properties, it would
then transfer those rights to the GSA. The agency would reimburse the city,
officials said.

For two years the FBI searched for a site to build its new Birmingham
headquarters so it could vacate its cramped space at 2121 Eighth Ave.
North. The site selection process was complicated by guidelines intended to
protect federal buildings from terrorist attacks like the 1995 Oklahoma
City bombing. FBI officials were also concerned about the crime rate in the
area.

"Put the ATF, DEA and FBI in there, it ought to clean it up," Walker said.