Washington Metro’s New Nerve Center Opened Today on Eisenhower in Alexandria
The new 14-story building, located near the Eisenhower Ave Station, will support more than 1400 employees.
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Metro’s new nerve center, the Integrated Command and Communications Center (MICC), is up and running. Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke and Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg toured the MICC today during a ribbon cutting celebration for the new Metro Building at Eisenhower in Alexandria, joined by Congressman Don Beyer (VA-8th), Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director Jennifer DeBruhl, and other Virginia officials.
The new 14-story building, located near the Eisenhower Ave Station, will support more than 1400 employees, and serve as a technology hub. In addition to the MICC, the building will be home to the data center, cybersecurity operations, bus and rail video teams, communications, and administrative support.
“The MICC is a world class control center that brings our rail, bus, security, and maintenance operations together in one place for the first time and our customer communications teams,” said General Manager Clarke. “Instead of managing service from separate control centers, we can coordinate together in real-time, working as a unified team to provide customers with clear, consistent messaging.”
Metro selected an existing underutilized property in an area of Alexandria that has seen dramatic growth in the past several years, including commercial and residential development.
“I am thrilled that Metro is finding a home base at the Eisenhower Office Building in Alexandria for over a thousand employees and is working with community partners to make this a safe and sustainable space for operations and innovation moving forward. Metro’s decision to consolidate workspaces demonstrates fiscal responsibility, and I’m glad that Metro went forward with this plan thoughtfully, by selecting an existing underutilized property and by seeking a LEED Gold accreditation status. I look forward to seeing the growth that takes place around this new facility,” said Congressman Beyer.
“Metro is a key partner throughout the region, and we are proud they will call Alexandria home,” said Mayor Wilson. “The hundreds of employees who will be here will find the Eisenhower Corridor is a great area where they can work, live, and play.”
The building is the third and final to be completed as part of Metro’s Office Consolidation Plan approved by Metro’s Board of Directors in 2018. The old, outdated headquarters at the Jackson Graham Building was sold and new safe and efficient workplaces built closer to the customer and operations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The move consolidated 10 locations into three buildings and created a long-term revenue stream through a ground lease of the former headquarters for development.
“Metro’s new Alexandria, VA office with the MICC is the last major step in a broader office consolidation strategy that will save the transit authority $120 million over the next 20 years. The Board recognized the importance of implementing this strategy, the goals of which were not only to create a long-term revenue stream, but also to improve employee safety, productivity, and satisfaction,” said Chair Paul Smedberg. “Through this strategy, we are also more accessible to our customers and communities, with each of the three new office buildings directly adjacent to Metrorail stations.”
In constructing the Virginia office building, Metro targeted LEED Gold certification for sustainable building design. The building’s featured public artwork, titled “Tunnel Vision,” was inspired by Metro’s iconic underground stations with converging lines and light to capture the look of a moving train through the system.
Earlier this year, Metro opened its new building at New Carrollton Metro Station in Maryland; and last year moved from the prior DC headquarters to a new headquarters at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station.
