D.C. Looks To Move 700-Person Agency East Of The River To Spur Growth
Mayor Muriel Bowser is looking to spur economic growth and attract grocery stores east of the Anacostia River with a major D.C. agency relocation.
D.C. issued a request for space Friday seeking between 175K SF and 225K SF for the Department of General Services, a D.C. agency that employs 700 people.
The agency is currently based at the Reeves Center at 14th and U streets NW, a property the city is looking to redevelop. The District said it is giving preference to properties that could accommodate DGS in Wards 7 and 8. Savills is representing D.C. in its search.
D.C. said it is considering existing properties or new projects that can be delivered by summer of 2022. It said it is prioritizing properties that also include community amenities such as grocery stores and housing.
A handful of planned mixed-use projects could fit that description, including CityInterests' Parkside, Four Points' Reunion Square and Redbrick LMD's Columbian Quarter and St. Elizabeths East.
The District said it is seeking a lease term of 10 to 15 years, with the option for an additional five-year extension, and it said it is giving preference to landlords that provide a purchase option. It said it is seeking a rental rate consistent with other D.C. agency leases, and it requires a tenant improvement allowance of $135/SF.
The request comes after Bowser signed an executive order Sept. 5 directing city agencies to prioritize potential relocation properties in Wards 7 and 8 as a way to help create the economic activity necessary for grocery stores to open in the underserved areas. D.C. currently occupies 460K SF of office space east of the river.
"We know that D.C. government will bring the daytime activity that retailers seek when making long-term decisions about new locations for their stores," Bowser said in a release. "We are committed to moving this effort forward and attracting needed amenities such as fresh food options, entertainment, recreation, and job opportunities to communities East of the River."
