GSA Blog

GSA’s Real Estate Sales Generate Revenue, Save Taxpayer Dollars, and Optimize Our Footprint

This blog is part of a series highlighting our progress this year.

In 2025, GSA recommitted to its founding purpose. Working smarter and faster, the agency was able to eliminate billions in wasteful spending, scale technology across government, streamline policy, and begin right-sizing the federal real estate portfolio in earnest. The Public Buildings Service is moving full speed ahead on President Trump’s priority to modernize and rightsize the federal government’s real estate portfolio.

Recently, PBS completed several property sales across the country, marking a strategic step in ongoing efforts by GSA to reduce the federal real estate portfolio and cut costs for American taxpayers, while ensuring agencies have the right space to achieve their missions. With GSA’s targeted efforts, PBS is aiming to save nearly $3B in maintenance costs on buildings that are underutilized. Overall, PBS disposed of 90 buildings, reducing our portfolio by three million square feet, generating $182 million in proceeds and avoiding $415 million in repairs and operating expenses. The service also avoided $730 million in costs through lease negotiations and reductions.  

This is just one part of a larger effort.

PBS remains focused and committed to tackling long-term problems in the federal property portfolio, from eliminating waste to reshaping outdated or costly assets. This will deliver long-term value to the American people. In addition to these sales, GSA has separately identified other buildings for potential disposal so taxpayers don’t have to pay for empty and underutilized federal office space, or significant maintenance costs — potentially saving more than $430 million in total annual operating costs.

Examples:

Revenue and taxpayer savings in Menlo Park, California

The sale of the former Bay Area home of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a sprawling 17.36-acre campus that sits about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, was closed in August. The property was originally identified for disposal under the Federal Assets Sales and Transfer Act by the Public Building Reform Board in March 2020. With USGS’ relocation complete in January 2025, GSA conducted a sealed bid auction for the Menlo Park property, culminating in the $137,000,006 winning bid. The auction not only generated revenue for the federal government, but also  is expected to save taxpayers approximately $107 million in deferred maintenance and another $4 million in annual maintenance costs.

Vacant courthouse in Portland, Oregon

In early December, GSA sold the former Gus J. Solomon U.S. Courthouse in Portland. The seven-story building covers an entire city block in the heart of downtown’s Central Business District. Designed by native Portland architect Morris H. Whitehouse, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and named for Judge Solomon in 1989. 

Due to its age and the construction of the nearby Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, GSA determined the building would need a substantial investment for continued federal use. The remaining agencies were relocated; the building has been vacant since 2022. 

The sale generated $1.8 million in revenue and will save GSA over $76 million in potential capital expenditures needed to modernize the 90-year-old building.

Vacant condo in Austin, Texas

In July, we announced the completion of a $3.49 million public sale of a vacant office condominium located at Stillhouse Canyon Office Park in Austin, Texas. The transaction for the former National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) building is expected to save taxpayers over $280,000 in annual maintenance costs. Through collaboration with NCUA and using their Federal Credit Union Act authority, GSA swiftly and efficiently sold this property, which received a total of 25 bids as a result of GSA’s marketing efforts.

Old courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa

In September, GSA completed a $2.6 million sale of the historic U.S. Courthouse in Des Moines. As GSA’s first sale under the accelerated disposition initiative, this sale saved taxpayers more than $891,000 annually in operating and maintenance costs, and avoided over $27 million in estimated capital repairs over 10 years.

The sale followed completion of a new federal courthouse that supports our judicial customers’ needs with a cost-effective, modern and efficient facility that maximizes value for American taxpayers. 

Liberty Loan Building in  Washington, DC

GSA is working with its private sector broker partners to sell the Liberty Loan Building, a unique opportunity in the heart of Washington, DC. While the disposition has not been finalized yet,  with over 100 registrations and over two dozen tours, we’ve seen significant market interest. Initial offers are due in December 2025.

Charlottesville, Virginia

GSA worked with the Department of Education to convey the former Federal Executive Institute campus in Charlottesville to the University of Virginia (UVA) for a new campus ROTC center. GSA worked with the State Historic Preservation Office to satisfy historical preservation requirements, and coordinated closely with UVA to expedite this transfer after the Department of Education selected UVA as the grantee. This conveyance helps turn 91,000 square feet and 13 acres of surplus federal real property into a center that educates future military leaders.

Courthouse and Post Office in Huntsville, Alabama

GSA completed the conveyance of the Huntsville Courthouse and Post Office to the City of Huntsville on September 15, saving taxpayers an estimated $520,000 annually in operating and maintenance costs, and avoiding more than $10 million in estimated capital repairs over the next 10 years.

Removing excess and underused property from the inventory not only saves money, but also helps GSA focus on the properties needed to support our federal customers’ missions. PBS is delivering value and savings for the American taxpayers, with even more to come in 2026.