Can We Breathe New Life into Government Buildings?

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the traditional federal workplace model and exposed longstanding issues with the aging federal real estate portfolio.

In this episode of the Gensler Design Exchange podcast, Gensler’s Diana Apalategui and Transwestern’s Lucy Kitchin dive into the challenges and opportunities facing federal government workplaces as they plan to modernize workspaces for the post-pandemic era. They leverage their extensive experience working with federal agencies and commercial real estate clients, providing unique perspective on the barriers to optimizing the federal real estate footprint. The discussion also explores design and portfolio solutions, including strategic consolidation, public-private partnerships, and the redevelopment of underutilized assets.

The episode’s guests cover the seismic shifts occurring in federal facilities due to remote and hybrid work trends, with actionable insights into balancing agency needs with economic development priorities through innovative real estate strategies.

Top 5 Takeaways

1. COVID-19 disrupted the federal workplace and led most employees to work from home in the long-term.
2. Many aging, federally-owned buildings are in poor condition and need renovations.
3. The federal government has struggled to significantly reduce its real estate portfolio over the past decade.
4. Redeveloping underutilized federal properties could provide housing, office space, and economic benefits.
5. Creative public-private partnerships may be needed to fund renovations and right-size the federal footprint.