From the Director:

Are new facilities in our future?

by Jeff Kimpel, Director NSSL

The National Severe Storms Laboratory has occupied the same building since 1972. At that time NSSL had about thirty-six federal employees, eight University of Oklahoma affiliates and an annual budget of approximately $1.6M. Twenty-six years later those numbers have grown to 54 federal employees, 79 mostly OU employees and two National Research Council postdocs. Annual expenditures have increased to $11.0M. True, we have expanded beyond our 1972 facilities into a menagerie of trailers, storage buildings, and the balloon barn, but the over crowding, cubicle- farms, and lack of meeting space are now impeding our ability to get the job done. In spite of all this, we made the bold decision to invite the NWS Storm Prediction Center to share our main building, enhancing the research and operational effectiveness of both groups. This led to more crowding, more temporary structures, and more excitement in our work environment.

Our lease with OU has expired several times and we continue to occupy our present facilities on short term extensions until a suitable alternative is found. We will be moving. The only questions yet unanswered are where and when. Doing nothing is not an option as our present facilities are well below government standards.

There are three possible options: move to commercial space, move into a new facility constructed for NOAA on the present North Campus site, or join our University of Oklahoma colleagues in a shared facility on the proposed South Campus park site (Jenkins and Highway 9). All three of these options are viable and currently under consideration.

Organizations like NSSL need to completely reinvent themselves every 20 to 30 years to stay competitive. Under the able leadership of Bob Maddox, NSSL has revamped its mission and garnered the resources necessary to set its strategic direction a decade or so into the approaching millennium. Facilities are a necessary and important component of that strategic direction.

NSSL 1968

Present building under construction 1971

Our major concern now is that we design facilities in harmony with our mission and strategic goals, not only for the present 20-30 year cycle, but also for the next one. What work will NSSL be doing and what type of work environment will support and enhance employee success and morale? Should the new building's appearance be inspiring like the NCAR Mesa facility? Is functionality the first concern? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Energy Center at OU or the new NOAA building in Boulder, Colorado? Can we get good ideas from the new engineering building at The University of Colorado? Who should our neighbors be? How should groups which occupy the new facilities be organized?

NSSL leadership invites you to help us think about our next facility. What are your thoughts and ideas as they apply to our once-in-a-career opportunity? You can read about some of the early planning and add your two cents worth at www.nssl.noaa.gov/newbuilding/. Hope to see you there.