Located near Route 295 less than 15 miles outside of Washington, DC, GSFC's sprawling 1,000-acre campus currently consists of 33 major structures accounting for over three million sf of research, development and office space. Upon consolidating the Directorate's activities, GSFC will be able to house the relevant laboratories, computer rooms, and offices for 900 employees into a singular location. But this proposed building is just one facet of GSFC's Facilities Master Plan, which is a 20-year endeavor consisting of new road and building construction that will update the center's facilities and allow the scientists to conduct their research in the most effective and efficient way possible.

The development is a welcome project for both GSFC and the surrounding Prince George's County community. "People like Goddard as a neighbor," independent facilitator David S. Julyan of the Community Council tells GlobeSt.com. The council was set up specifically to keep the lines of communication open between Goddard and local citizens. "The community's primary interest and concern regarding the building was its location, because of its impact on Soil Conservation Road." Soil Conservation Road runs through the middle of the GSFC campus and is used by the public. And while there are no objections to the Space Sciences building, there were major grumblings among the community about traffic on that road. A decision has been made to move it to one side, thus avoiding any objections to inconveniences caused by traffic to the new facility and other impending new developments on the campus. As for the call for designers, the contract is expected to be awarded in February of next year.