View of the front of the Tampa Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office at twilight.

Tampa Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office

Blending design, security requirements, and structural engineering.

Project Facts

Location Tampa, Florida
Owner FBI U.S. General Services Administration
Size 135,000 SF, 4 levels
Cost $28 million
Status Completed 2006
Capacity 355 parking spaces

Overview

Plans to build a four-story field-office building in Tampa led to a collaborative partnership between the federal government and Walter P Moore to ensure the entire site, including the parking, gates, and fencing, met new stringent security requirements in a functional and cost-effective way.

About the project

The new FBI field office in Tampa had to meet a lot of criteria to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the employees who would work there. The four-story building is designed to take maximum advantage of the views of the surrounding water and wetlands, as well as enhance public and employee accessibility, and respond to federal security requirements. The site also includes parking for 355 cars and security fencing and gates. 

Walter P Moore provided the criteria and structural design for the perimeter security fence and gating system surrounding the entire facility. It’s main function is to resist the impact of heavy trucks moving at a high speed.

To blend design with safety and function, the building’s Spanish Colonial-style architecture hides rectangular floor plates with 30’ x 40’ structural column bays to allow for efficient and flexible space planning. If any single perimeter column or interior column within the vehicle maintenance bays is suddenly removed, the structural loads will redistribute to adjacent columns, thus preventing collapse.

Awards

Tampa Bay Business Journal, Best New Development, 2006

Tampa Bay Business Journal, Best Real Estate Deal, 2006

National Association of Office and Industrial Properties, Tampa Bay Chapter, Outstanding Special Use Building, 2006