ST. LOUIS — The Army Corps of Engineers said it's too early to gauge what impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on the construction of the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency western headquarters in north St. Louis.
Major construction and foundation of the $1.7 billion project, the largest federal investment in the region's history, was to begin this spring. The Next NGA West project is a partnership among NGA, the Army Corps of Engineers' Kansas City district, the Air Force, and McCarthy HITT JV, which is building the project.
As of Wednesday evening, USACE said in a statement that: "The U. S. Army Corps. of Engineers wants to ensure the health and safety of our workforce and community. Regarding impact on construction of Next NGA West, it is too early to tell due to new information coming in daily.”
Contractors, advocacy groups and labor unions are seeking to keep construction sites open, with new precautions in place, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact industries across the St. Louis region, from restaurants to manufacturers.
On Wednesday afternoon, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said the city would continue to issue building permits, adding that "this is a fluid, fast moving, fast changing situation."
St. Louis-based McCarthy Holdings said it has directed "a large portion" of its office staff to work remotely, canceled upcoming national events and trade shows, suspended nonessential air travel, and has hand-washing areas available for workers and visitors.
"As a national construction company with people and projects across America, McCarthy is paying close attention to developments and actively monitoring and complying with the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in conjunction with federal, state and local health agencies, and relevant government entities. We are working closely with clients, subcontractor partners and suppliers to analyze ways to mitigate or overcome these challenges as we try to keep jobs moving forward and maintain employment levels," a spokesperson said.
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