Federal Building (Colorado Springs, Colorado) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Federal Building, Ent and Peterson Air Force Bases
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| Part of Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
| 1520 E. Willamette, Colorado Springs, Colorado | |
Federal Building, Ent Air Force Base, 1962
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| Coordinates | 38°50′32″N 104°47′51″W / 38.84222°N 104.79750°W |
| Type | Computer systems, Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1962 for Burroughs Corporation |
| Built by |
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The Federal Building was once called the Burroughs Building. It was a special computer building used by the military during the Cold War. The Cold War was a period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasting from the end of World War II until about 1991.
This building was located at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. It was built in 1962 for a company called Burroughs Corporation. Their job was to create a computer system that could quickly analyze information from satellites and radar. This system was very important for North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD is a joint organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning and control for North America.
The Federal Building was part of Ent Air Force Base until 1975. After that, it became a building connected to Peterson Air Force Base. Over the years, the United States government used the building for different purposes. It was empty after 2007 and then sold in 2009.
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Ent Air Force Base's Role
The Burroughs Corporation was hired to develop a command and control system for NORAD's main operations center. This project involved building an underground facility at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. It also included other parts of the system.
The system was designed to be super fast. It could evaluate important aerospace information in a millionth of a second. This information came from sources like radar and satellites.
The Burroughs Building was a two-story building, about 44,000 square feet (4,100 m2) in size. It was built in 1962 for the Burroughs Corporation. The building had offices and labs for NORAD's electronics and communication systems. A company called Davis-Becker Construction owned the building and leased it to Burroughs.
In 1970, a special museum collection was set up in the Burroughs Building. It was for the Fourteenth Aerospace Force. This collection included items from people who served with the Flying Tigers. These displays had Chinese coins, patches, flying jackets, and flags.
The Army Air Defense Command left Ent Air Force Base in 1975. The Fourteenth Aerospace Force also left in 1976. Ent Air Force Base was then closed down. In December 1976, military staff moved to Peterson Air Force Base. They also moved to the Chidlaw Building in Colorado Springs.
Connection to Peterson Air Force Base
In 1975, Ent Air Force Base and the NORAD headquarters moved to Peterson Air Force Base. Before February 28, 1975, Peterson Field was a smaller site managed by Ent Air Force Base. The commander of Ent oversaw Peterson Field.
On March 1, 1975, Peterson Air Force Base became a main military base. It took over the aerospace defense jobs that Ent Air Force Base used to do. Ent Air Force Base then became Ent Annex, a smaller site linked to Peterson Air Force Base. The data processing building was finished in 1975. The Federal Building was one of these off-base facilities for Peterson Air Force Base.
In 1993, a company called Kaman Sciences Corporation got a contract. They were to maintain communication systems at the Federal Building, Peterson Air Force Base, and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base. The Federal Building was included in Peterson Air Force Base's economic reports in 2009.
General Services Administration's Role
By 1998, the United States General Services Administration (GSA) owned the building. The GSA is a U.S. government agency that manages federal property. They leased the building to the Air Force Space Command.
In 2006, Bayshore Industries was hired by the GSA to manage the Federal Building. The Space Command used the entire building until October 2006.
The United States Armed Forces used about 15% of the building until June 2007. On June 18, 2007, the United States Northern Command held an event there. It was called the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration. This event showed new technologies for military and homeland security uses. It was also a place for the United States Department of Defense, local police, and emergency teams to work together. The goal was to see how well different groups could share information. This included members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Canada, and the United Kingdom. A practice hostage situation was even held at the building.
The Federal Protective Services and the GSA used a small part of the building. Their leases ended in September 2007. A bill was proposed in 2007 to give the building to the United States Paralympics, Incorporated. This group is part of the United States Olympic Committee. The GSA sold the building, which had been empty since 2007. It was sold in 2009 for $890,000 through an online auction.
Images for kids
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Federal Building, Ent Air Force Base, 1962
