U.S. General Services Administration
GSA to Maximize Federal Real Estate in LA Civic Center with Federal and Los Angeles County Superior Courts Consolidations
March 29, 2016
LOS ANGELES – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced its three pronged approach to making more efficient use of the federal government’s real estate assets in the Los Angeles Civic Center area. This long-term plan will consolidate federal court operations in the new Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse currently under construction at 350 W 1st Street and the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (Roybal Courthouse) while also allowing the Los Angeles County Superior Courts to use vacated federal space at the historic courthouse at 312 North Spring Street.
“Our plan will save tax dollars and ensures the North Spring Street courthouse does not become an underutilized property on the government’s books,” said Dan Brown, GSA’s Pacific Rim Public Buildings Service Regional Commissioner. “By consolidating federal courts operations into two buildings, we were able to offer courts facilities at 312 North Spring Street to the Los Angeles County Superior Courts and free up additional space to accommodate other federal tenants as their leases expire in the local community. This plan not only allows GSA to reduce leased space in Los Angeles, it also contributes to the ongoing revitalization of the downtown area.”
New Los Angeles U.S. Courthouse
Construction of the new Los Angeles United States Courthouse is nearing completion and the facility is scheduled to open in late summer. The approx. 625,000 gross square foot courthouse includes 24 courtrooms and 32 judicial chambers and will house the U.S. District Court, Central District of California and U.S. Marshals Service relocating from the historic courthouse at 312 North Spring Street. This is the first major step in achieving an enhanced and efficient footprint for the U.S. District Courts in Los Angeles and consolidates many of the functions that were previously divided across multiple buildings. The new secure and cost-effective courthouse will optimize court operations; address previous security concerns and is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
On March 2, GSA received congressional authorization to proceed with a $19 million project that would upgrade building systems and reconfigure portions of the Roybal Courthouse, creating workspace for a new tenant mix. The project will facilitate consolidation of the remaining federal court functions, Magistrate Courts, District Court Clerk and Pretrial Services from 312 North Spring Street to the Roybal Courthouse. The project will also include repurposing some of the existing courtrooms into general office space for the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Circuit Library, and Pretrial Services to create more efficient work spaces. GSA awarding a design-build contract for the Roybal Courthouse project to Stronghold Engineering of Riverside, Calif. on March 25. Construction is scheduled for completion within 30 months.
Courthouse at 312 North Spring Street
GSA signed a lease agreement, under Section 111 of the National Historic Preservation Act, with the Judicial Council of California to facilitate the re-use of the 312 North Spring Street Courthouse and the preservation of a historic landmark. The county courts will occupy 27 percent of the courthouse.
The Los Angeles County Superior Courts will consolidate operations from state-owned and leased facilities into vacated U.S. District Court space. They will utilize existing District and Magistrate courtrooms without requiring alterations to the space resulting in significant taxpayer savings. In addition, this consolidation optimizes county operations in a downtown location that better enables them to serve the public.
“This lease agreement allows for the preservation of our historic courtrooms and their continued operational use,” said Brown. “It also allows the building to continue to function as a federal building, providing economical space for federal agencies as their current leases expire in the local community. Most notable this innovative lease represents unprecedented collaboration between federal, state, and local government in the public interest.”
The location provides access to federal courts for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California who will remain at 312 North Spring Street as an anchor tenant in the building along with other federal agencies that will fill the remaining vacant space in the building.
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