U.S. General Services Administration
Dual ribbon cutting events mark the arrival of new tenants to the Denver Federal Center
By Rich Stebbins
Against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, General Services Administration (GSA) Region 8 pulled off a rare feat, hosting two ribbon cutting events on the same day.
Held at the Denver Federal Center (DFC), the ribbon cuttings showcased two newly remodeled federal buildings - Building 48 and Building 53, which have both undergone significant modernization.
Deputy Administrator Katy Kale represented GSA at both events and highlighted the strong collaboration between the Department of the Interior and GSA that moved these projects forward.
At Building 48, DOI’s Interior Business Center (IBC) moved into brand new office space that was previously a vacant, underperforming warehouse. The stark transformation now offers collaborative spaces, new high performing building systems, and is run entirely on renewable energy sources. The building will operate as a net zero energy facility and by reusing the existing structure, there is an 87% decrease in embodied carbon. The move into Building 48 also allowed IBC to shed three private market leases.
“By investing more than $53 million into this space, we’ve combined multiple unused spaces into a single federal asset,” said Deputy Administrator Kale. “To put it another way, this investment saves taxpayers $6 million in annual savings. That’s a big payoff.”
The second ribbon cutting at Building 53 was held in the afternoon where five federal agencies have new, modern and efficient office space. The $74 million project not only built out new areas for these agencies but added in extensive upgrades to the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire systems. Multiple daylighting enhancements, such as adding in skylights distributed throughout the building, are meant to boost employee health and wellness in addition to being more energy efficient.
The Department of the Interior’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Business Integration Office are joined by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Veterans Health Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Administration as the new tenants. The consolidation of these agencies took them out of seven private market leases and into a single federally owned facility saving more than $12 million annually. Building 53 will now serve 11 federal agencies in total at this facility.
“This new building is a key part of GSA’s strategy to optimize the federal footprint,” Kale said at the second ceremony. “This building represents our governmentwide commitment to functional, accessible federal buildings that make it easier for the government to accomplish its mission.”
Both of these projects demonstrate how GSA can reactivate and monetize vacant, federally owned structures that are energy efficient and cost effective.