Federal Leases In Prince George’s Don’t Compare

[WASHINGTON POST]  PRINCE GEORGE’S IS BEING UNFAIRLY EXCLUDED ON FEDERAL LEASING

Prince George’s county is often overlooked for federal government leases on private space by Washington, DC and Fairfax, Arlington and Montgomery counties according to Kwasi Holman in a recent Washington Post opinion editorial.  Holman, the president and chief executive of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, stated that out of the federal government’s 1,134 leases in the area’s private market, only 70 are within the county.  This represents a major imbalance considering that 25% of the region’s federal workforce resides within Prince George’s.

In addition, out of the $1.9 billion in rent paid by the federal government in the Washington metro area, only $69 million goes toward rents in Prince George’s county.  Not only is there less money spent in the county, but Prince George’s rents tend to be much smaller, averaging 53,137 square feet versus the region’s average of 75,454 square feet.

As the federal government looks to consolidate many of its operations into private space and construct more energy-efficient buildings near metro stations, there is no reason Prince George’s county shouldn’t be a major part of this movement.  With 15 metro stations surrounded by much undeveloped land and a strong workforce, the county is situated to greatly benefit from agencies relocating here, which may spark further development.  Holman expressed that his vision is “for us to create a community where residents can get to work with minimal use of their vehicles. We need a multi-pronged strategy to establish mixed-use development with housing as well as office and retail space.” 

To learn more about Prince George’s county’s potential as a major hub for federal agencies, read Holman’s commentary in the Washington Post.



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