Federal government eyes Austin property sell-off
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The J.J. Pickle building could soon be for sale. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
The Trump administration released a list this week suggesting several federally owned properties in Austin could soon be up for sale — before pulling it down hours later.
Why it matters: The move — coupled with efforts from Elon Musk's DOGE to end federal leases — is creating confusion about the future of the federal workforce and its real estate footprint in the city and across the country.
The big picture: President Trump last month empowered DOGE to scrutinize how federal agencies spend money, the latest expansion of Musk's cost-cutting powers.
- The executive order requires federal agencies to identify federal properties that are no longer needed and can be jettisoned.
Catch up quick: The General Services Administration (GSA) revealed on Tuesday it's considering offloading more than 440 "non-core" assets across the U.S.
- The agency estimates that selling those buildings could save more than $430 million in annual operating costs.
- By Wednesday morning, the list had been removed from GSA's website — and replaced with a note that says "coming soon."
Zoom in: Five federal facilities in Austin were listed, totaling more than 1 million square feet, including:
- A complex of federal offices near the intersection of Interstate 35 and U.S. 71 in southeast Austin that comprise a U.S. Treasury Department office (84,000 square feet); an IRS service center (486,000 square feet), a childcare center for federal workers (9,500 square feet), and a Department of Veterans Affairs information technology center (241,000 square feet).
- The J.J. Pickle Federal Building (215,000 square feet) on East Eighth Street, the 1960s high rise that hosted offices of Lyndon Baines Johnson during and immediately after his presidency.
What they're saying: The GSA published the list to "drive maximum value for the federal real estate footprint" for taxpayers, per a statement released Wednesday.
- The agency said it received an "overwhelming amount of interest" in the listed properties and will consider "compelling offers."
Caveat: Just because a property is on the list does not mean it's immediately for sale, the GSA noted.