National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

These events help reinforce the region’s position as a geospatial hub, as the NGA’s new headquarters are set to open by early 2026.

Geospatial tech industry workers said the industry could mirror biotech's growth in the region.

Mayor Tishaura Jones signed legislation Tuesday clearing the way for the city to force the sale of certain private properties near the NGA’s new headquarters that are unoccupied, vacant, condemned or otherwise a nuisance.

“While eminent domain can be scary, ultimately, this use of eminent domain protects existing residents and existing occupied businesses,” the bill’s sponsor said.

The region’s growing geospatial and established agriculture and plant sciences sectors put it in a unique position to drive the innovations that will help farmers adapt to new climate conditions while reducing carbon emissions at the same time.

As the St. Louis region moves toward being a hub for the geospatial industry, leaders are looking at K-12 schools to help build the workforce.

“St. Louis put in the effort years ago to have this new facility built here and then recognized that that was not the end of the journey, that was the beginning of the journey,” said the former leader of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation.

The facility will include a first-ever innovation center, where people without security clearances can work alongside NGA staff on problems or issues the agency regularly grapples with.

The roughly 3,100 people who work for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in St. Louis will likely start moving into new space in late 2025, with that move completed in early 2026.

The Globe Building’s new “sensitive compartmented information facility” brings new opportunities to St. Louis-based geospatial intelligence firms that require a classified environment to conduct business.