FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
June 10, 2009 |
CONTACT:
Sean Madigan
202-615-2029 (cell)
Feras
Sleiman
202-251-8829 (cell) |
Fenty Administration
Releases First-Ever District-wide
Facilities Plan
Five-Year Plan Details Property Management Strategy for More Than
20 Million Square Feet of Property
Mayor Adrian
M. Fenty today announced the District’s Office of Property Management (OPM)
has completed the city’s first-ever District
of Columbia Facilities Plan, a comprehensive strategy for managing
more than 18 million square feet of owned space and 3.7 million square
feet of leased space. The plan also provides details on a number of
District initiatives including reducing the amount of space it rents from
the private sector, building new critical public safety and government
operations centers, redeveloping former school sites and consolidating
warehouse operations.
“As the
District of Columbia government, we have one of the largest property
portfolios in the city,” Mayor Fenty said. “It is our job to be
professional managers of these assets to make sure we utilize them in the
most efficient, effective and transparent manner possible.”
During the
next three years, the District is planning to reduce the amount of office
space it rents from the private sector by 500,000 square feet, or about 13
percent of its total leased space portfolio, saving taxpayers millions of
dollars. In addition to transitioning from leased to owned space, the
District will also work to modernize existing facilities, develop a new
government center, improve preventative maintenance and introduce new
“green” and sustainable building practices to properties
District-wide.
The new
facilities plan also includes description and schedules for specific
projects, such as the $220 million Consolidated Forensic Laboratory, the
new headquarters for the Department of Employment Services and the $20
million Metropolitan Police Department Property and Evidence Warehouse.
Not only are these capital projects intended to provide first-class
facilities for government operations and spur new investment in
neighborhoods throughout the District – these projects will produce
hundreds of new construction jobs for city residents.
“This is a
major milestone for the District and OPM.” said Robin-Eve Jasper,
Director of OPM. “OPM is proud to share our plan for using
District space and facilities.”
The full
plan is available on the Office of Property Management’s website at www.opm.dc.gov
under Publications.
The District
also released today its Workplace Design Guidelines, which standardizes
the materials and furnishings that can be used in District office
buildings. The new guidelines will create a recognizable “brand”
across city agencies. Created by OPM and HOK Architects, the guidelines
are already being utilized in the District’s 500,000 square foot
Waterfront Station build-out and former school site reuse. The new
guidelines will provide considerable cost savings because the District
will be able to maximize efficiencies through bulk purchases and
standardized design templates. |
