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seismic shift is underway in the nation's capital as the Trump administration accelerates its efforts to shed underutilized federal properties. The latest addition to the chopping block is a behemoth of an office building on 7th and D Streets near L'Enfant Plaza, joining a growing list of assets slated for accelerated disposition.
At 845,169 square feet, this Southwest D.C. property stands as the largest asset yet identified by the General Services Administration (GSA) for potential sale or transfer. The GSA's list, which has undergone significant revisions since its initial publication last month, now comprises 23 properties nationwide.
A closer examination of the revised list reveals a mix of federal buildings and properties outside downtown Washington, including those in Suitland, Maryland, that house the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as the Department of Energy's main building in Germantown. The GSA has also added several properties from a Springfield, Virginia, warehouse campus near the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station.
In a bid to maximize value and drive efficiency, the GSA has adopted an incremental approach, focusing on assets that have already been evaluated based on criteria such as deferred maintenance, operating costs, utilization, and local market availability. This strategy marks a significant departure from previous efforts to reshape the federal government's real property holdings.
The implications of this shift are far-reaching, with some experts hailing it as a long-overdue move to streamline the federal footprint. "This has disrupted the long-standing inertia that has slowed previous efforts," said David Marroni, lead of the physical infrastructure team for the Government Accountability Office, during a recent congressional hearing on the topic.
As the GSA continues to refine its list and accelerate the disposal process, one thing is clear: the nation's capital is poised for a significant transformation.
