The CIA Campus: The Story of Original Headquarters Building — Central Intelligence Agency

On August 4, 1955, President Eisenhower authorized $46 million for the construction of CIA headquarters. From the article:

"The Story of Original Headquarters Building — Central Intelligence Agency

In 1955, Representative Carl Vinson and Senator Richard Russell introduced legislation for the purchase of the land and the construction of a CIA building. Congress made clear that its intent was to locate the CIA headquarters in Langley, and testimony at subsequent hearings established that local authorities and residents were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal. In 1956, the National Capital Planning Commission granted approval for the new campus and structure.
Building a Superstructure
On July 5, 1956, the contract with Harrison and Abramovitz was signed. (This firm designed the United Nations Building and Lincoln Center in New York.) Forty architects and designers were given Secret clearances.

In October 1957, site clearing began. And in March 1958, final blueprints and specifications for an H-shaped building were approved.

In May 1959, with the site under security surveillance and contractors wearing security badges, work on the original headquarters building began. On Nov. 3, 1959, President Eisenhower came to Langley to place the time capsule and to lay the cornerstone. The box and cornerstone were later removed and held for safekeeping until they were permanently installed more than a year later. Eisenhower gave a short speech in which he publicly affirmed the need for intelligence, both in peacetime and in war.

When the press asked Dulles after the ceremony what was in the box, he smiled and said, “It’s a secret.” Despite the DCI’s joke, everything in the copper-covered steel box was unclassified, although there was considerable discussion about whether classified material should be included. (Learn more about the contents of the Cornerstone in our CIA Headquarters Virtual Tour.)

Growing Pains
The year 1960 was a busy time for construction at headquarters. The concrete roof of the north penthouse, the highest point of the building, was poured that year, and, as was customary, the workmen held an impromptu flag-raising ceremony.

When the curved steel girders for the roof of the cafeteria were delivered that year, an article appeared in the June 13 edition of Washington Evening Star. The newspaper had been sending periodic flights over the construction site to photograph and report on the progress, and they printed a photo with the caption: “The crescent-shaped objects at left are decorative waterfalls!” The “waterfalls” were actually the cafeteria, which was ready for full operation in February 1962.

Offices began to move into the north half of the headquarters building in September 1961. Buildings “M” and “Q” were the first to move from downtown. Unfortunately, the south side of the building was still open to the elements, and the place became infested with mice. Many disagreements and complaints emerged during this transition time.

On Sept. 18, 1961, the new telephone switchboard facility was put into service, and the operators were instructed to answer an incoming call, “Central Intelligence Agency.” As this drew considerable attention from the public and the media, the previously used “Executive 3-6115” response was resumed after a few weeks.

Original Headquarters Building is Finished
Dulles designed his own office, but insisted that he would not move in before all the offices had completed their transition to the new building. However, after the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion (April 1961), he was replaced as DCI; Dulles never worked in the building he created.

President Kennedy presided over the dedication of CIA's new home on Nov. 28, 1961. During the ceremony, he presented Dulles with the National Security Medal. The next day John McCone was sworn in as DCI, and he and his staff moved into temporary offices on the third floor. The seventh-floor director’s suite was finally completed in March 1962.

By May 15, 1962, the new CIA headquarters building was fully occupied. Due to staffing growth and demands, the CIA leadership soon began to consider whether an “auxiliary” building was needed."