GSA, FCC Landlord Pushing Senate Committee for Action to Free Up FCC Move to New HQ
The General Services Administration and FCC landlord Parcel 49C are trying to get a Senate committee to authorize funds for a new tenant at the headquarters to get the stalled move to a new HQ rolling, said a status report (in Pacer) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The FCC’s lease in the Portals building expires in October, but its new home won’t be complete until 2019. Negotiations over an interim lease in the Portals stalled while Parcel 49C waits for confirmation GSA’s plans to replace the FCC with another federal tenant -- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. -- come to fruition, the filing said. Parcel 49C took the GSA to court for awarding the contract for the FCC’s new home to real estate developer Trammell Crow (see 1701120044), and the parties mutually agreed to a hold since the GSA began moving toward installing the PBGC in the Portals in the spring.
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The FCC can’t discuss preparations for the move because the case and leasing holdup delayed planning, a spokesman told us. GSA is working on an interim extension of the current lease at the Portals, the spokesman said. Though the FCC’s future home at Sentinel Square III in NoMa will still be built and managed by Trammell Crow, the developer sold the building to MetLife Investment Management earlier this week, MetLife announced. Parcel 49C, Trammel Crow and GSA didn’t comment.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee authorized funds for a new lease for the PBGC in 2016, but the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has yet to sign off on the prospectus for that lease and several other GSA prospectuses, the status report said. GSA and Parcel 49C are “undertaking efforts” to have the committee place the PBGC prospectus on the September meeting agenda, the filing said. The Senate committee website lists a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, on other topics. Committee staff didn’t comment.
With the PBGC leasing process stalled, Parcel 49C asked the court to lift the stay on its case against the GSA award process for the FCC lease, which is based on arguments there were conflicts of interest (see 1701050077). The government said oral argument on the GSA case would be pointless with the issue so close to being resolved. The D.C. Circuit hasn’t ruled on Parcel 49C’s request.
The next HQ will be 11 stories, include three levels of below-grade parking, and will “benefit” from “the growing base of residential, retail, hotel, and entertainment amenities in the immediate area,” MetLife said. The FCC will occupy the third through the 10th floors, part of the second floor, and part of the first floor. The structure hasn't been constructed, but is fully designed, an official connected with the project has told us.