by Brianna Crandall — April 13, 2011—The U.S. General Services Administration’s National Capital Region recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of the Old Post Office building and annex located at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.
GSA plans to turn this underused federal office space into a private sector initiative that best serves the community and the government. The request will leverage the expertise of the private sector in determining what future use will be most lucrative for the federal government while maintaining the historic nature of the building.
The main building of the Old Post Office contains 315,000 square feet of space, divided between federal tenants on the upper floors and restaurant facilities on the first three floors. The 315-foot clock tower that makes the building visible for miles around is under the control of the National Park Service and is not part of the redevelopment project. There also is a 64,000 square foot annex built in the early 1990s, currently unoccupied, included in the project.
The Old Post Office was opened in 1899 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The OPO’s near-demolition several decades ago inspired a campaign that laid the groundwork for the historic preservation movement in Washington. It is currently being leased under Section 111 of the National Historic Preservation Act by three organizations, along with GSA and the National Park Service. Once a developer is selected, they will be responsible for the restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation of the OPO, as well as management and operations. The RFP proposal deadline is July 20, 2011.
