GSA Launches Nationwide Economic Catalyst Initiative in Charlotte, Other Cities

November 18, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2015

Contact: Saudia Muwwakkil (Saudia.Muwwakkil@gsa.gov)

Initiative Will Better Align Agency's Building, Leasing, and Relocation Plans with the Economic Development Goals of Local Communities

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) launched a nationwide Economic Catalyst Initiative to better align the agency's building, leasing, and relocation plans with the economic development goals of local communities, while also improving outcomes for the federal government and partner agencies. The launch of the new initiative began in Detroit, headed to Cambridge, Mass., and then concluded in Charlotte, N.C. where agency chief Denise Turner Roth -- former city manager and vice president of an economic development group -- held a press conference with the Office of the Mayor and local economic development groups to discuss GSA's new strategic focus on economic development and projects in the area that reflect it.

The Economic Catalyst Initiative is consistent with the Obama Administration's efforts to support the economic vision of communities across the country.

From GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth:

"I know that GSA can be a powerful catalyst for economic development in communities across the country. By working together with state and local partners, GSA can find opportunities to support a community's development goals while driving a better deal for taxpayers. GSA's exchange with the City of Charlotte to build the Courthouse Annex coupled with the U.S. Department of Transportation's investment is truly an example of being a catalyst for economic growth. When we focus our efforts together, better outcomes are gained for everyone."

From Charlotte Mayor Dan Clodfelter:

"This partnership between GSA and the City of Charlotte allows for the realization of the Gateway Station, our vision for a multimodal transportation center," said Mayor Dan Clodfelter. This exchange will support our city's economic development goals by fostering growth along transit lines and expanding the impact of other investments at the federal level."

Project highlights:

• Detroit: GSA has purchased a commercial building for $1 and, with Congressional support, plans to invest $70 million into the building, allowing the agency to bring an additional 700+ federal employees from around the city and surrounding areas to one federally owned location. In doing so, GSA will free up valuable commercial space in downtown Detroit for the private sector and others while saving money for its partner agencies.
• Cambridge: GSA is working to exchange the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Volpe Center – currently sitting on a 14-acre underdeveloped federally owned site -- for construction services needed to build a new DOT research center. DOT has long needed a new research facility in Cambridge, but has not been able to get the necessary appropriations. This exchange will unlock the value of the land to meet DOT's needs, dramatically reduce the agency's footprint, and free up land in Kendall Square, one of the most valuable real estate markets in the country.
• Chelsea: GSA has awarded a build-to-suit lease for an FBI field office in Chelsea, Mass., a few miles away from Cambridge, which has already been a catalyst for the development of hotels and residences. In addition to being a catalyst for economic development, the building will provide the FBI with more functional space in support of their critical mission
• Charlotte: GSA is working with the City of Charlotte to exchange a 3.2-acre federally owned site for the Jonas Federal Courthouse, a building that the federal government needs long-term. This exchange will be a catalyst for transit-related investments and other investments at the federal level due to the 3.2-acre site's proximity to a future multimodal transit station. Currently, Department of Transportation has provided $25 million to construct the multimodal transit station. GSA's exchange with the city coupled with DOT's investment will be a catalyst for economic growth.

The purpose of the Economic Catalyst Initiative is to create these types of economic development opportunities in communities across the country.

As part of the Economic Catalyst Initiative, GSA has revised its location policy around five community-centered factors (i.e. transportation, broadband, sustainability, neighborhood connectivity, and use of existing resources), and embedded this new approach in the performance plans of its Public Buildings Service commissioners and real estate specialists. GSA has also identified a number of expiring leases and capital building projects as priorities due to their potential to impact economic growth. This change in the way the agency does business will improve outcomes for both local communities and the federal government.

While GSA's old building, leasing, and relocation process only required minimal community engagement, the new process requires this type of engagement every step of the way, especially in the beginning of the process when GSA is working with a partner agency to determine its program of requirements. This includes working with local officials before the procurement process begins to evaluate the appropriateness of both delineated areas and Central Business Areas using the aforementioned criteria.

For more information on the Economic Catalyst Initiative, visit: (link has been removed).

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About GSA

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. government whose mission is to deliver the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to government and the American people. The agency's Public Buildings Service is one of the largest and most diversified public real estate organizations in the world. Its portfolio consists of 376.9 million rentable square feet in 8,721 active assets across the United States, in all 50 states, 6 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

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