The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is seeking ideas from the real estate development community on the possibility of a private-sector exchange of the Michael J. Dillon U.S. Courthouse on Niagara Square. GSA is starting a process that is asking the industry for creative ideas for providing a new use for Dillon, while helping GSA meet its long-term needs to enhance its real estate portfolio and support customer agency missions.
The Michael J. Dillon U.S. Courthouse is no longer in use by the U.S. District Court, Western District of New York and the cost of renovations and upgrades to prepare this building for other federal tenants would not be feasible for the government at this time. GSA will issue an official Request for Information (RFI), which is an innovative approach putting federal assets to new uses and allows stakeholders to provide input on the possible exchange of the building. The government can then use the submissions to make informed decisions and possibly create a deal structure that will put this property to new use while also letting the government leverage the building for necessary improvements to other government buildings. The RFI is the first step in the process.
“Issuing this RFI will help provide insight into how we might revitalize this Buffalo property, leverage the value of this building, and save taxpayer dollars,” said GSA Regional Administrator Denise L. Pease. “It is the latest in GSA’s ongoing efforts to make more efficient use of the federal government’s real estate assets. We welcome a diverse set of stakeholders to review and share with us their creative ideas on how to put this facility to potential new use.”
The RFI will open on May 14 and the real estate development community will have 45 days to provide input.
Constructed in 1936, this Art Deco-style building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. It is comprised of seven stories, a mezzanine and a penthouse. The building contains approximately 180,950 gross square feet of space. The RFI will be posted on www.fbo.gov.