New FBI Field Office coming to Lexington County
COLUMBIA — A new office for the FBI is rising in Lexington and expected to open next year.
The agency shared an update and photos Jan. 19 of the building project, which broke ground in October.
When complete, the structure off Sunset Boulevard near downtown Lexington will house the FBI field office for Columbia, which currently is spread among three buildings, according to a statement from the agency.
That will bring field agents and professional staff under one roof.
“We are looking forward to the expanded space and the technological advances that will be available,” FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Susan Ferensic said.
The FBI has occupied the largest of its current Columbia offices at 151 Westpark Blvd. in St. Andrews since 1998.
The FBI will have a minimum of 20 years’ lease time at the 10-acre Lexington site when it is complete next year. The building is going on property owned by an Atlanta developer that specializes in working with federal government agencies.
“What a compliment to have the premier law enforcement agency in the nation choose the Town of Lexington as their state headquarters,” Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall said in the statement.
“After the opening of this facility, this will put every major law enforcement agency: city, county, state and now federal in our town on a daily basis. This speaks volumes to the safety of our community,” MacDougall said.
The building is expected to be ready for the bureau to occupy in the summer of 2023.
(Post and Courier)