Mayor Vincent C. Gray Celebrates General Services Administration’s Decision to Expand District’s Central Employment Area

Move Makes it Easier for Federal Agencies to Locate at St. Elizabeths & Riverfront
(WASHINGTON, DC) – This week, Mayor Vincent C. Gray received word that the entire Capitol Riverfront area and St. Elizabeths East Campus have been designated part of the District’s Central Employment Area (CEA) by the federal government, making it easier for federal agencies to locate there. The recent decision by the General Services Administration (GSA) is a sign that the District’s ongoing efforts to nurture relationships with the federal government are bearing fruit.

“Our federal partners play an integral role in creating jobs and catalyzing real estate development in the District,” said Mayor Gray. “The CEA expansion provides a critical resource to our economic development team, developers and contractors as we seek to develop valuable land resources in previously underdeveloped communities in Wards 6 and 8 of the District of Columbia.”

In correspondence dated May 23, 2012, Linda C. Chero, Acting Commissioner of the General Services Administration communicated that, effective immediately, the St. Elizabeths East Campus and the Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District (CRBID) are recognized as part of the District of Columbia’s CEA. Acting Commissioner Chero was responding to an official request by Mayor Gray that the CEA be expanded to these two areas. This critical designation encourages federal agencies to consider these areas as priority locations when considering relocation or expansion.

Over the past several years expansion of the standard delineated area to parts of the District like NoMa and Capitol Riverfront has led to new economic development in the city. GSA remains supportive of the District and stated in their letter that “efforts to expand economic development and job opportunities beyond the downtown area” and that “future Federal development near the St. Elizabeths Campus could be mutually beneficial to the District and the Federal Government.”

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development helps the federal government lease office space within the District. Under the direction of Deputy Mayor Victor L. Hoskins, the Business Development unit has a designated representative for GSA relations.

Mayor's announcement

See map below for the expansion of the CEA and its effect on exemptions from EISF filing requirements.