Thursday, February 23, 2006

By BRIAN LAWSON
Times Business Writer brianl@htimes.com

SAIC plans to expand its presence in Cummings Research Park and combine a number of its Huntsville offices into a central-campus-style location, eventually bringing together some 2,000 local workers.

The employee-owned research and engineering company, which employs 43,000 around the world, will break ground for the new building at 9 a.m. today, hosting an event that will include the company's board of directors.

SAIC employs about 2,000 workers here and is looking forward to growth continuing in its systems, communications defense and space business, said Bill Gurley, a senior vice president and general manager of SAIC's Huntsville's business unit.

"This is a very people-oriented business, and we want to consolidate our people in one location," Gurley said.

The expansion's first phase will include construction on the 18-acre campus of a four-story, 100,000-square-foot building next to the company's main Huntsville office. That building is used by some 400 employees, and the company has nine other Huntsville offices. The facility is also close to the Bridge Street development, which will feature a large hotel a short walk from the SAIC campus.

Construction is expected to begin in May and the work completed in June 2007. SAIC hopes to move people from five of its Huntsville offices to the campus.

The company also plans to add a third building on the campus.

Gurley said SAIC is preparing for continued growth. He cited the company's work on Future Combat Systems, aimed at modernizing warfighting; continued collaboration with Marshall Space Flight Center; work with the Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center; and the business opportunities arising from the Army Materiel Command's planned relocation to Redstone Arsenal, the result of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission process.

SAIC was founded in San Diego in 1969 and opened its Huntsville office, the company's third-largest today, in 1972.

Gurley said the establishment of Cummings was the fulfillment of an "extraordinary concept." He said SAIC's proximity and relationships with other companies in the park are attractive selling points to customers.

"Huntsville is the place for growth," he said. "People are going to see huge growth here in the next five to 10 years, and we are positioning ourselves for that. We're not building here just because we predict growth; we've been here more than 32 years and are glad to part of this community."

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