The Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building was placed on a non-core property list in early March to potentially be sold.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Congresswoman Shontel Brown said there was a meeting with the government agency that deals with real estate.
Her office said the General Services Administration (GSA) told them the federal government had decided to sell the building and wanted to do it within the next three years.
There are up to 4,000 employees that work in the building, and there is no word on what will happen to them.
Mayor Justin Bibb released a statement regarding the possible sale and the workers that may be affected by it:
My administration is aware of discussions regarding the potential closure and sale of the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building. We are actively working with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and our local, state, and federal partners to understand the timeline. While it seems GSA is early in the process of determining next steps for the building, it is concerning nonetheless. At this time, we have received no indication that the federal government plans to reduce staffing levels for these agencies. However, should any Cleveland workers be impacted, we stand ready to support them through our Rapid Response Hub in partnership with Greater Cleveland Works. The City's priority is ensuring that the 4,000 federal workers in the Celebrezze Building remain employed in Downtown Cleveland. Our urban core is a vital economic and civic hub, and we stand ready to collaborate with our federal partners to ensure that these agencies remain Downtown.
Cuyahoga County also released a statement saying they do not want the building sold:
The Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building is a landmark in downtown Cleveland, and stands as a symbol of public service, justice, and civil rights. The federal workers employed there play a vital role in contributing to the economic stability and growth of the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. The County administration is aware of the discussions surrounding the potential sale of the building and has been in contact with federal officials. Cuyahoga County urges leadership within the federal government to reinvest in the building to ensure that all federal jobs are retained in our urban core.
A federal building in Medina was also listed as a non-core property.
On April 3, GSA Regional Public Affairs Officer Tanya Schusler released the following statement regarding the possible sale.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is taking action to meet President Donald J. Trump’s direction to rightsize the federal real estate portfolio, cut costs for American taxpayers and optimize the space agencies need to achieve their missions.
This initiative aims to engage the market, attract interested parties, and inform strategies that will expedite the disposition of federal assets, consistent with all applicable laws. GSA is beginning the disposition process for the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, and more details will be forthcoming.
GSA remains committed to solving the long term problems that exist in our federal portfolio of assets. Decades of funding deficiencies have resulted in many of the assets in our portfolio becoming functionally obsolete and unsuitable for use by our federal workforce. GSA will consider assets for divestment from government ownership in an orderly fashion to ensure taxpayers no longer pay for empty and underutilized federal office space, or the significant maintenance costs associated with long-term building ownership — potentially saving more than $430 million in annual operating costs.
