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GSA Finalizes deed transfer for the Former FAA Tower in Gardiner

Former FAA communications tower

BOSTON  — The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has announced the conveyance of  the former FAA Tower on two acres in Gardiner, Maine to the City of Gardiner. The conveyance was made at no cost for emergency management reuse under the Public Benefit Conveyance (PBC) Program, administered by GSA since it was first established in 1949.

This transfer is part of GSA’s efforts to make more efficient use of federal assets no longer in use while saving taxpayer dollars and providing economic value for communities.

“GSA is pleased the City of Gardiner was able to acquire the former FAA tower site for their emergency management communications program at no cost under the Public Benefit Conveyance Program”, said Glenn Rotondo, Acting Regional Administrator for the GSA New England Region. “This action is of great value to the community and will save taxpayer dollars.”

“The attainment of this tower is a great example of how property that is no longer beneficial to the original federal agency can have great value to a local agency,” said Gardiner Fire Chief Al Nelson. “The GSA, FAA and FEMA were amazing to work with in making this procurement a reality.”

*Photo courtesy of Al Nelson, Fire/Rescue Chief, Gardiner, Maine

About the former FAA Site

  • The 260-foot communications tower is situated on two acres, formerly owned by the FAA on Libby Hill Road in Gardiner. The public benefit conveyance includes the tower and two small outbuildings at the site.
  • With this property, the city will be able to provide improved emergency communications for the community and its public safety operations.
  • The city’s emergency reuse plan encompasses a service area of approximately 173 square miles serving a population of nearly 24,000.

About GSA’s Public Benefit Conveyance Program 

  • The tower was acquired through GSA’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program which sponsors reuse plans by communities for emergency management. When there is surplus federal real property, GSA reaches out to local communities to explore various public benefit reuse programs through its Surplus Screening Notice. In this case, the Fire Chief of the City of Gardiner applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Washington after responding to GSA’s Notice. The city’s FEMA application outlined its reuse program and vision for improved community service in emergency communications. FEMA approved the application late last year.
  • GSA executed the deed for the Libby Hill site to the City of Gardiner on January 23, 2018.

In fiscal year 2017, GSA partnered with other federal agencies to dispose of 115 assets government-wide and generated $102 million in proceeds. Since 2013, GSA has completed 1,074 disposal transactions, which have generated $337.5 million in proceeds and reduced the federal government’s footprint by more than 64,660 acres of excess land. 

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Last updated: May 28, 2020
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