Port San Antonio on the city's southwest side will invest $50 million in a new building targeting cyber security companies. The port is trying to keep up with strong corporate demand to be near government cyber security and intelligence assets owned by the Air Force.
When Port San Antonio built its three-story, 90,000 square foot Project Tech building last year, the $20 million dollar investment was one of the bigger ones it’s made.
It’s paid off so far with Lockheed Martin, CNF Technologies and CACI building labs and facilities there. A yet-unnamed tenant will completely fill the building that is a little over a year old.
The Port's board of directors voted last night to build an adjacent five-story building with nearly twice as much space targeting similar cyber security clients. Companies that want to be close to the nearby 24 and 25 Air Force facilities that house the intelligence and cyberwarfare operations, as well as the National Security Agency.
"The vote by the board yesterday was really a statement to say 'we're gonna build more of that, keep up with the market, and give our customers and future companies expanding in San Antonio a place to do that work," said Will Garrett, vice president and director of cybersecurity at the Port.
The new building, known as Project Tech 2, is expected to break ground next month and be completed in 2021.
Additionally, the Port has invested in a new innovation center that would include an expanded San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology, a conference center as well as a technology arena that could be used for e-sports. The port hopes to attract tens of thousands of annual visitors with the addition.
According to a release, the Port employs more than 13,000 people, adding 2,000 since 2018.
Paul Flahive can be reached at paul@tpr.org or on Twitter @paulflahive.
