New terms for sale of Auburn federal campus. Government hopes to close next month
The U.S. General Services Administration this week released revised terms on its sale of the Auburn Federal Complex, marketed as Pacific Point.
In 2017, the GSA announced plans to “dispose” of the Auburn Federal Complex, built in 1964, after “assessing the economic viability of maintaining the property and aging buildings.”
This week, GSA revised its Invitation for Bids, setting a new timeline for when a buyer would be able to take control of the property and set a soft close date of Feb. 16 for a potential sale.
GSA says the revisions came after feedback from potential buyers.
“GSA is committed to transferring the federal campus to a new owner in a timely and fair manner,” said Acting Northwest/Arctic Regional Administrator Lisa Pearson. “These new conditions represent an increased benefit to the buyer and the American taxpayer.”
Federal agencies at the site are relocating to other locations amid the sale. GSA announced in February 2020 that it would move its Northwest/Arctic Regional Headquarters from the Auburn complex to the Columbia Bank Center, 1301 A St. in Tacoma.
At least one of the buildings in the revised bid invitation is listed as occupied until April 30, 2024.
Columbia Bank Center itself this month was sold to an LLC representing Boyd Watterson Asset Management of Cleveland.
The Auburn site disposal included buildings that housed offices for GSA, Social Security Administration, a childcare center, all warehouses and ancillary buildings, comprising 15 structures of approximately 1.5 million +/- gross square feet on 129 acres. The site is one mile south of Auburn’s Commercial Business District.
A webcast on the changes and the auction process to allow for potential buyers to ask questions in advance will be held 10:30 a.m. Feb. 3. Representatives from GSA as well as the City of Auburn will attend.
The site is being sold via online auction at RealEstateSales.gov. Bidders must pay a registration deposit of $500,000 and the minimum opening bid is $80 million.
Additional information about the property and the auction and the webcast can be found online at gsa.gov/PacificPoint.
