Georgia's federal buildings on the chopping block: 17 sites listed for removal

ATLANTA - The U.S. General Services Administration released a list on Tuesday of 443 federal buildings and facilities it says are "functionally obsolete." 

The list was reduced to 320 hours later on Tuesday evening. 

What we know:

The rationale behind this move is to ensure that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on maintaining vacant or underutilized federal spaces. "Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions," the GSA stated.

Among the properties listed, 17 are located in Georgia, with seven situated in metro Atlanta and North Georgia. These properties account for approximately 3.2 million square feet of office space. Some notable sites include the IRS Service Center in Atlanta, the M.L. King Jr. Federal Building in Atlanta, and the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center.

The list includes: 

• Federal Bureau Po-Ct, Valdosta, Ga - Valdosta
• Federal Regional Center- Thomasville
• FEMA Warehouse - Thomasville
• Harold L. Murphy Federal Building & United States Courthouse - Rome
• IRS Annex- Chamblee
• IRS Service Center, Atlanta, Ga- Atlanta
• J. Roy Rowland Fed. Courthouse - Dublin
• Juliette Gordon Low, Federal Building - Savannah
• Lawson General Hospital - Chamblee
• M. L. King Jr. Federal Building - Atlanta
• Mers Mcov Site - Thomasville
• Mers Warehouse - Thomasville
• PBS Warehouse - Thomasville
• Pinetree Blvd - Thomasville
• Prince H Preston Federal Building - Statesboro
• R.G. Stephens Jr. Federal Building - Athens
• Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center – Atlanta

SEE FULL LIST

What we don't know:

Despite the release of the list, there remains uncertainty about why the number of properties designated for disposal was reduced from 443 to 320. The GSA has indicated that the list will be updated "as assessments progress," but further details on the criteria or reasons for the reduction have not been provided.

Local perspective:

In Georgia, the list of properties includes significant federal buildings such as the Harold L. Murphy Federal Building & United States Courthouse in Rome and the J. Roy Rowland Federal Courthouse in Dublin.

What's next:

As the GSA continues to assess these properties, updates to the list are expected. The process of selling or repurposing these buildings will likely involve further evaluations and decisions on how best to utilize or dispose of these federal assets. 

What they're saying:

The GSA has emphasized the importance of this initiative in terms of financial efficiency and supporting agency missions. By disposing of these obsolete properties, the agency aims to eliminate unnecessary maintenance costs and reinvest in environments that better serve federal missions. However, the reduction in the number of properties and the lack of clarity around the decision-making process have left some questions unanswered.