NASA is officially inviting the private sector deeper into its orbit near Houston, opening the door for commercial development on nearly 184 acres of excess land adjacent to the Johnson Space Center.
The space agency issued an announcement for proposals seeking tenants for 183.7 acres within Exploration Park, a site just outside JSC that agency leaders have been positioning as a hub for space-related industry, according to filings posted to the federal contracting site SAM.gov and reported by the Houston Business Journal. Proposals are due April 30, with NASA hosting site visits on Feb. 18. JLL was named leasing broker for Exploration Park earlier this year.
A map included with the AFP shows the land carved largely into 10-acre parcels, along with several smaller tracts and a 13-acre section labeled “Option Arrow.” The site is accessible via Saturn Lane and sits inside JSC’s secured perimeter — a detail that could shape how developers and tenants approach the opportunity, according to the publication.
NASA is offering long-term ground leases with a 20-year base term and two additional 20-year options. Rents range from roughly $8,100 per acre to $11,800 per acre per year, depending on the parcel, with annual rent escalations of 3 percent. According to the AFP, tenants would be responsible for utilities and would need to propose access points that comply with NASA’s security requirements, since all available parcels currently require badge access.
NASA said it expects office, factory and storage tenants and could allow assembly, university and even mercantile uses, depending on the proposal. Residential development, however, is explicitly off the table.
Johnson Space Center leadership has been laying the groundwork for years. Director Vanessa Wyche said in a January interview with the outlet that NASA views the effort as a way to accelerate partnerships with commercial space companies and related industries.
Momentum is already building around JSC, as Texas A&M University broke ground in November on its $200 million TAMU Space Institute nearby, backed by state funding. The facility has lined up tenants including Astrolab, Intuitive Machines and Interlune, and is expected to be substantially completed this year.
Elsewhere in Exploration Park, Austin-based American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation has been tapped to develop a 22-building campus across 207 acres, while Houston-based KBR signed a letter of intent this year to build a 45,000-square-foot facility focused on advanced human-centric systems.
— Eric Weilbacher
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