Temporary relocation by GSA signals plan to optimize space and prepare for future property sale
The federal body responsible for managing government-owned properties has announced plans to temporarily relocate its Washington, D.C., headquarters just a short distance from its current site. This move is part of a broader initiative aimed at cutting down on underutilized office space and reducing costs for taxpayers.
The General Services Administration (GSA) revealed that it will shift its operations in July from its existing seven-story, 814,000-square-foot headquarters at 1800 F St. NW to a nearby building at 1900 E St. NW, only a few minutes away on foot. The E Street property, commonly known as the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Building, currently houses the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government’s primary human resources agency.
This shared arrangement will be temporary. Both GSA and OPM plan to return to the F Street location once renovations are completed, a process expected to wrap up by late 2028. Afterward, the Roosevelt building may be vacated and potentially placed on the market.
The relocation aligns with the federal government’s ongoing efforts to streamline its real estate portfolio and eliminate excess space. This approach has gained momentum during President Donald Trump’s second term, with several agencies recently announcing similar adjustments in Washington, D.C., moves that could eventually lead to additional property sales.
GSA Administrator Edward Forst emphasized the urgency of the strategy, noting that the government has long paid for buildings that are either underused or too costly to maintain. He stated that the agency is now taking firm steps to address these inefficiencies.
While exact renovation costs for the F Street headquarters and potential financial gains from selling the Roosevelt building are still being calculated, the GSA has already submitted a funding request to Congress. The proposal, part of its fiscal year 2026 prospectus, seeks nearly $240 million to support the headquarters transformation.
As the agency works toward formal approval, it plans to begin preliminary design efforts using existing funds. A design firm has already been selected, and the hiring of an architect is currently underway.
The historic building at 1800 F St. NW, constructed in the early 20th century, occupies an entire city block and is regarded as one of the first modern office buildings developed by the federal government. Originally built for the Department of the Interior, it was later assigned to the GSA in the late 1940s. The site also holds historical significance as a focal point of the infamous Teapot Dome scandal of the 1920s.
Meanwhile, the Roosevelt building on E Street was developed between 1960 and 1963 for the Civil Service Commission. Today, it spans seven stories and approximately 500,000 square feet.
The GSA oversees around 360 million rentable square feet of office space used by hundreds of thousands of federal employees. Recent data on building usage, mandated by a law passed during the final days of President Joe Biden’s administration, shows that the Roosevelt building is currently utilized at just over 50%.
At the same time, about 40% of the GSA’s existing headquarters space has been labeled unfit for occupancy due to long-standing maintenance issues. For the usable sections, occupancy exceeds 60%.
Staffing levels within the GSA have also shifted since the beginning of Trump’s second term. A recent report from a federal oversight agency indicated that workforce reductions have impacted service quality. One tenant agency reported challenges due to fewer trained personnel following high attrition rates.
According to the findings, staffing within the Public Buildings Service division dropped significantly—from nearly 5,700 employees in September 2024 to just over 3,100 by November 2025. The oversight body has предложed recommendations to improve the reorganization, which the GSA has agreed to implement.
Source: Original reporting by Jonathan Lehrfeld, CoStar News.
