The FBI started construction in early October on a $100 million, 100,000-square foot data center in Pocatello that is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s effort to consolidate all the FBI data centers at two core enterprise facilities in Idaho and West Virginia.
The Pocatello site is an expansion of an existing data center.
The FBI has had a Pocatello presence for 30 years, and now has offices for nine FBI divisions, including investigations, intelligence analysis, information technology, records management and all travel arrangements, according to an FBI release.
The new data center will add 350 new FBI jobs, Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad said.
“That 350 people will have a payroll of $30 million,” Blad told the Idaho Business Review. “We’re adding an extra $30 million into our community with that data center.”
Construction will involve up to 1,700 workers, Blad added. The center is expected to open in winter or spring 2019, FBI spokeswoman Kelsey Pietranton said.
The general contractor is JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City, Mo. The architect is Corgan of Dallas.
Big employers typically beget a swarm of smaller supplier companies.

Arlington, Va.-based Buchanan & Edwards recently brought in a dozen employees to assist with designing the FBI’s data center operations, CEO Dennis Kelly said.
Buchanan & Edwards will have 50 employees on board in Pocatello by early December.
“Buchanan & Edwards is looking to fill high tech jobs that pay $80,000 to $140,000 per year, which will have a major positive impact on our community’s economy and talent base,” said John Regetz, executive director of the Bannock Development Corp., the Pocatello region’s corporate recruiter.
Many new Buchanan & Edwards employees are moving to Pocatello from bigger cities, Kelly said.
Note: This article was updated with information that the FBI is Buchanan & Edwards’ client at 10:35 a.m. Oct. 30.