The House Minority Whip, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), is backing two sites in Prince George’s County as potential homes for a new FBI HQ and is exploring other ways to pay for the new digs outside of trading the J. Edgar Hoover Building to a developer.
The GSA has proposed swapping the Hoover Building to a developer wiling to build the project, but critics have pointed out that the building is likely not worth the $1.5B to $2.5B that a new HQ would cost. Hoyer has joined the chorus of critics and believes there is a better deal to be had by selling the building separately and paying for the FBI’s new home with appropriations, the Washington Post reports.
“I’ve never been a big fan of the swap, which is because I think it complicates the transaction and I don’t think it necessarily maximizes the value of that extraordinary piece of property,” Hoyer says. The GSA had hoped the proposed swap would allow it to move forward without having to seek major appropriations from Congress, a process that has badly delayed the consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security.
Possible sites for the new 2.5M SF HQ have been narrowed down to Greenbelt, Landover and Springfield. The GSA plans to seek federal funding to help with construction costs that aren't covered by the proposed swap. [WaPo]
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