Space
GSA is the Federal Government's civilian landlord. We provide office space, warehouse space, laboratory space, courthouses, border stations and mobile homes. We provide storage space in underground caves and space for telecommuters and child care providers. We buy, lease, manage, transfer, secure, design, furnish and alter space for our customers. We dispose of unneeded real estate, including office buildings and missile silos, lighthouses and rights-of-way, by transfer, donation or sale. We commission public art and architecture, preserve national landmarks and protect the environment. In FY 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency for International Development and the Customs Service became the first tenants in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. This 3.1-million-square-foot edifice will house numerous Federal agencies along with international trade businesses, restaurants and retailers. Larger than any Federal building except the Pentagon, the Reagan Building completes the Federal Triangle complex by filling the last undeveloped site on Pennsylvania Avenue, the nation's main street, between the White House and the Capitol. The building will be dedicated in 1998. Eventually, it will provide workspace for 7,000 Federal employees and private tenants.
The Federal courthouse construction program continued in FY 1997, with completion of new courthouses in Minneapolis, MN, Concord, NH, and Portland, OR. In FY 1997, as part of the biggest courthouse building program in 50 years, GSA also completed renovation of eight courthouses and had 25 new courthouses under construction and 17 others under renovation. The new courthouses contain many innovative features that reduce energy consumption, improve security and introduce state-of-the-art technology to the courtroom. After completion of the courthouse program, GSA's role in constructing large-scale public buildings will be sharply reduced. Meeting Federal space needs in the future will call on our skills in efficient property management, leasing, space alterations, preservation, security and disposal of property. In FY 1997, GSA expanded its non-mandatory relationships with its customers by permitting agencies to choose their leasing and space alterations providers from GSA or other public or private sector sources. Can't Beat GSA initiatives in FY 1997 led to the reinvention of two of GSA's fundamental services. The Can't Beat GSA Leasing program streamlined procedures, eliminating paperwork and time-consuming levels of approval in GSA's $2.5 billion leasing program. The Can't Beat GSA Space Alterations program reduced the time it takes to perform workspace alterations by as much as 60% for jobs costing up to $100,000 and offers a 5% refund if the work is not completed on time. Both initiatives have achieved notable success throughout the country.
In FY 1997, GSA for the first time contracted with private real estate firms to provide leasing services for Federal agencies. The unprecedented National Real Estate Services contracts will help the Government lease privately owned property and obtain other pre- and post-acquisition realty services, including initial space requirements, administrative services, market surveys, renegotiating leases and out-leasing. The contracts are with five real estate brokers across the country and cover a three-to-five year period.
In FY 1997, GSA launched its Good Neighbor program to help revitalize America's cities through public-private partnerships. GSA recognizes that the Federal presence in local communities can benefit civic life. GSA partnerships with local government and business groups enable GSA to participate in community planning efforts, carry out Executive Orders 13006 and 12072, which direct agencies to locate Federal workers downtown and in historic districts, provide space for public events and activities, and contract for local services when possible. In FY 1997, GSA entered into Good Neighbor agreements with 12 cities.
GSA's real estate expertise was recognized by the industry's Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), and GSA's Chief Architect was named Outstanding Architect. Six GSA buildings won The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Awards in FY 1997. BOMA recognized these buildings for excellence in all facets of building management, including tenant relations, community involvement, energy management, emergency evacuation procedures, and education for building personnel. The U.S. Courthouse in Shreveport, LA, won BOMA's International Award for Government Buildings. Regional TOBY awards went to the Harold D. Donohue Federal Building in Worcester, MA; the Oakland (CA) Federal Building; the Richard B. Russell Federal Building and Courthouse in Atlanta; the Romana L. Mazzoli Federal Building in Louisville; and the Federal Center in St. Louis.
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design awarded Chief Architect Edward Feiner its prestigious Louis B. Sullivan Outstanding Architect award. The museum cited the "compelling portfolio of new Federal projects" and described Feiner as "a walking reform movement for the Federal Government."
GSA will donate the Oklahoma City site where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building stood for a memorial to the victims of the April 1995 bombing. GSA will transfer the site to the Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation which will finance and oversee construction of a memorial. Two American architects and their German associate won the memorial design competition in FY 1997. Their winning design centers on 168 glass and stone chairs lighted from beneath, representing those who died in the bombing. It also incorporates the only tree left standing in the vicinity, an American elm called the "Survivor Tree," which represents the other victims of the blast.
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