Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) cut the ribbon on its new nerve center Oct. 27. The new 14-story building, the Integrated Command and Communications Center (MICC), is located near the Eisenhower Avenue Station in Alexandria, Va., and will support more than 1,400 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 WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy 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.”
The building is the third and final to be completed as part of WMATA’s Office Consolidation Plan approved by WMATA'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 The old, outdated headquarters at the Jackson Graham Building was sold and new safe and efficient workplaces built closer to the customer and operations in Washington D.C., 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.
WMATA 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.
“WMATA is a key partner throughout the region and we are proud they will call Alexandria home," said Mayor of Alexandria Justin 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.”
In constructing the Virginia office building, WMATA targeted LEED Gold certification for sustainable building design. The building’s featured public artwork, titled “Tunnel Vision,” was inspired by WMATA’s iconic underground stations, with converging lines and light to capture the look of a moving train through the system.
Earlier this year, WMATA opened its new building at New Carrollton Metro Station in Maryland. In 2022, WMATA moved from its prior Washington, D.C., headquarters to a new headquarters at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station.
