by Brianna Crandall — December 2, 2016 — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) made several announcements in recent weeks concerning properties owned, leased or sought by the federal government in Washington, DC. Three are highlighted below.
International Trade Center (ITC) portion of the Ronald Reagan Building (RRB)
GSA issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for an outlease interest in the International Trade Center (ITC) portion of the Ronald Reagan Building (RRB).
GSA currently owns and manages the RRB; however, the ITC is currently managed and operated through a third-party service contractor. GSA is seeking proposals for the ITC that will include both the operation and management of the entire ITC.
GSA says this is another example of how the agency is an economic catalyst in the nation’s capital as it moves to better utilize federal properties and other assets. This proposed outlease is another strategy intended to reduce risk to the government by increasing asset utilization and maximizing the value of federally owned property.
The ITC is located on the historic Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of Washington, DC, within walking distance of the White House. The building houses a premier conference and event center, executive office space, retail and dining, and offers community entertainment and programming.
Additional information about the RFP for this significant asset can be found on FedBizOpps.
Cotton Annex in Washington, DC
GSA hosted an industry day November 15 focused on the process of the disposal of the Cotton Annex, a property in a prime location in the District of Columbia. The event had representatives from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), the DC State Historic Preservation Office (DC SHPO), and the DC Office of Planning (DCOP).
The purpose of industry day is to allow interested parties to ask questions and learn about the building and the GSA auction process; information is also available online. More Information on the disposal process is also available on the GSA Web site.
“This event reinforces GSA’s aggressive commitment to repositioning underutilized assets in its real estate portfolio to put them to more productive use,” said Tim Sheckler, director, Real Property Utilization and Disposal Division.
The move is another example of how GSA can be an economic catalyst for cities and communities across the country. GSA points out that moving underutilized federal properties out of the federal inventory allows for local use that may better promote economic growth.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Cotton Annex was built in 1937. The property is located at 300 12th St. SW in Washington, DC. The 118,000-gross-square-foot six-story building occupies an 1.4 acre site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shortlist of sites for new Department of Labor (DOL) headquarters
GSA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), announced on November 29 the conclusion of the site evaluations for the new DOL Headquarters that would help enable the Department’s mission to support a 21st century workforce. GSA has identified three sites as potential locations.
The shortlisted sites for a new DOL headquarters are:
- Site 1: referenced as “NOMA,” located at the intersection of North Capitol Street and New York Avenue in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, DC
- Site 2: referenced as “Capitol Riverfront,” located at the intersection of M Street and South Capitol Street in the Southwest quadrant of Washington, DC
- Site 3: referenced as “Poplar Point,” located in Anacostia and bordered by Interstate 295, Howard Road and Suitland Parkway in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, DC
“The Department of Labor is in need of a new, up-to-date workplace, and GSA is enlisting the help of the market to determine the best option to finance this project,” said Norman Dong, Public Buildings Service Commissioner. “This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of a large site near the Mall and Capitol.”
Next month, GSA plans to award a contract to evaluate these sites to help shape options, along with a public comment period. Last year, GSA issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) that the government is exploring options of the current headquarters and the underlying approximately 12-acre parcel, and a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) for a site that would accommodate approximately 850,000 rentable square feet to 1.4 million rentable square feet.
The current DOL headquarters is more than 40 years old and is in need of costly infrastructure upgrades, to include modern heating, electrical, plumbing and elevator systems. Through the exchange option, the Government envisions an opportunity to create an up-to-date, modern work environment to enable employees to work more effectively and efficiently; reduce taxpayer costs for building operations; and promote economic redevelopment at the current site, at 200 Constitution Avenue NW, and at any new location.
