Contender for new Labor Dept. headquarters files massive DC mixed-use development plan

Dive Brief:

One of the major contenders for a new Department of Labor headquarters development deal, Redbrick Partners, has filed plans for a mixed-use project with an office component that meets the agency’s 1 million-plus square-footage requirements, according to the Washington Business Journal.
The HOK-designed complex in the city's Poplar Point area will include five buildings with 1.6 million square feet of office space, 45,300 square feet of retail and up to 700 residential units, all built in three phases.
Redbrick, which has incorporated affordable units into the development's design, also will make upgrades to a nearby Metrorail station and overhaul the look of surrounding streets. Other property features include nearly 950 underground parking spots and approximately 630 long-term and short-term bicycle parking spaces.

Dive Insight:

There has been no official statement from the DOL or any of the named developers confirming that these particular companies are in negotiations for the new headquarters. However, given the agency’s space requirements and the General Services Administration's statement that it had narrowed the field of possible sites to three parcels close to the DOL's current offices, the Business Journal and other local press outlets have developed educated guesses about which properties are in the running.

The other development companies that are reportedly vying to build the DOL’s new home include Douglas Development Corp., The Ruben Cos. and Vornado Realty Trust.

The GSA was also looking at the possibility of a no-cost or donated site for the new DOL facility, but, barring that, it said they would consider a design-build or lease deal. The governmental development agency said it will next hire a third-party to evaluate potential sites before it makes a decision. After that process is complete, it will decide whether to move forward with a new DOL headquarters.

The GSA is also currently in the midst of developing a new $2 billion FBI headquarters. The agency said it would issue a request for proposals next month, and it has narrowed potential sites to three in Maryland and Virginia. One of the roadblocks to moving forward with a relocation deal has been funding, which the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee addressed earlier this month. The committee had been concerned about costs but agreed to pay $834 million under certain conditions, one of which being oversight of the construction process.