Everyone in the Fort Meade area knows that BRAC is coming. Or is it here already? Did I miss it? We understand that it will bring new jobs to the area and that it is a good thing for the real estate market and our economy but what is it really?
BRAC stands for Base Realignment and Closure. In 2005 the Department of Defense recommended that certain facilities across the country be consolidated here at Fort Meade. As it affects Fort Meade, BRAC is a cost saving measure designed to move jobs that are (1) currently housed in privately leased (and expensive) off-base office buildings; and, (2) jobs that are housed on bases that are being closed completely, to one government owned facility on the secured base at Fort Meade. These include organizations that are currently located in Fort Monmouth NJ, Falls Church VA, Arlington VA, Panama City FLA, and Slidell, LA.
The total cost to implement this move was originally estimated at a one time $220 million dollars with a one time savings estimate of $102 million during the implementation period and an additional annual savings of almost $60 million per year thereafter. Those numbers put the move at a break even point within three years......
This move is expected to result in a total of 7,000 jobs of which a little over 4,000 are direct on base positions and another 3,000 through ancillary growth including everything from DOD contractors to the person that takes your toll going over the Bay bridge and the waitress that serves you at the new restaurant built to handle increased demand for facilities near Fort Meade.
The 7,000 on post jobs are primarily to be workers housed in a new 1.2 million s.f. facility that is being built on Fort Meade. The construction contract for that building was awarded to Hensel Phillips Construction company on March 5th 2008. While I have not seen any revisions to the move dates or date ranges, we can safely assume that we will not see completion of that building for several years. In addition, the construction contract alone came in at $370 million which places it $150 million over the original budget to facilitate the entire move. (way to go on the cost savings!)
Somewhere along the way, estimates began circulating that the effects of BRAC were going to be 20,000 - 30,000 new jobs at Fort Meade. However, those tallies were actually for the state of Maryland. The WHOLE state. And a large chunk of those jobs are going to Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
Those exciting numbers became what the community heard, absorped and perceived as being the BRAC affect. And of course that generated a lot of excitement especially in the sluggish real estate market where sellers are looking for any glimmer of hope for a turn around.
But when you look at the true number of positions coming to Fort Meade and the period of time they are covering you'll see that we're looking at about 200 new home buyers per county per year. * (
See our BLOG on BRAC estimates ). A nice little boost but nowhere near the numbers we need to make a dent in our current inventory of homes.
This BRAC move was originally scheduled to take place between 2006 and 2011. It is actually required by law (according to the AA County BRAC site) to be completed by 2011. As of today, August 31, 2007 we have not seen any increase in transfers to the area due to BRAC. We have not seen any improvements to our infrastructure or roads to prepare for the coming of these 7,000 new jobs. Our high schools in Anne Arundel County are over crowded and there are no new high school facilities being built. In my humble opinion we are grossly under prepared and way behind schedule. I'll believe it when I see it.
Laura Roskelly, Realtor GRI, ABR, ASR, E-Pro
Accredited Home Staging Professional
RE/MAX Leading Edge
1360 Main Chapel Way
Gambrills, MD 21054
(410) 721-6694
E-Mail: FortMeadeHomes@aol.com
On-line: www.FortMeadeHomes.com
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Our military family team of full-time real estate agents has been serving the Fort Meade Maryland area for over 8 years. We've helped hundreds of families buy and sell real estate near Fort Meade. Our web site was designed by a military wife to answer all the questions you may have when relocating to the Fort Meade area including what cities and counties are close to Fort Meade, reports for public and private schools, on-base resources, community information and photos, foreclosure sale information, property values as well as complete access to all MLS listings of homes for sale and homes for rent near Fort Meade. If you are planning to buy or sell your Fort Meade area property you can trust our team to provide you with the very best results guaranteed. The Fort Meade Homes Team is your best resource for real estate information. Call or visit us on-line today! Read More 
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