WASHINGTON — The General Services Administration has narrowed the list of possible sites for a new Department of Labor headquarters to three potential D.C. sites: NoMa, Capitol Riverfront or Poplar Point.
GSA began a search for a new Labor Department headquarters last fall. The department needs 850,000 to 1.4 million square feet of rentable space, and is willing to swap the current headquarters with a developer for a new one.
The Labor Department’s headquarters, at 200 Constitution Avenue NW, was built more than 40 years ago and is in need of costly infrastructure upgrades. It is still a valuable piece of real estate, sitting on about 12 acres of prime downtown D.C. land.
“The Department of Labor is in need of a new, up to date, workplace and GSA is enlisting the help of the market to determine the best option to finance this project,” said Norman Dong, Public Buildings Service commissioner.
“This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of a large site near the (National) Mall and Capitol (and) we look forward to addressing the Department of Labor’s workplace modernization opportunities,” Dong said.
The three sites are:
- Corner of North Capitol Street and New York Avenue NE
- M Street and South Capitol Street SW
- A site in Anacostia at the intersection of Howard Road and Suitland Parkway SE
Any of the three sites would be a victory for the District, which is facing the loss of the FBI’s headquarters to either the Maryland or Virginia suburbs.
If the Poplar Point location should be chosen, it would be only the second time ever that a federal agency has been located east of the Anacostia River in the District. The Department of Homeland Security headquarters, currently under construction, is the first.
Next month, GSA will award a contract to evaluate the three sites, an assessment it will use in determining its options for a new Labor Department headquarters.
There is no timetable for the Labor Department’s eventual relocation.
