A year ago when I wrote my review of the year 2012, I forecasted that in 2013 “we can be sure that our federal government will continue to clamp down on real estate spending and there…
Author: Kurt Stout
25 Predictions for 2014
Colliers International has just released its 2014 Global Predictions Report providing key insights and trends impacting the world of commercial real estate in 2014 and beyond. 2014 promises to be an interesting year in the commercial property…
Wanted: New Uses for Old Courthouses
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 has sparked a faint glow of optimism that agencies will plan more strategically for their space needs in the coming years. Last spring, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimated…
What the Budget Deal Means for Federal Leasing
“Clearly this is not a Grand Bargain but it was never meant to be. It was designed to create some bipartisan agreement and some momentum.” – Rep. Paul Ryan On December 26th, President Obama signed the…
GSA’s Green Proving Ground
If government agencies could make New Year’s resolutions, improving energy and water efficiency and saving taxpayer dollars would be good ones. And some of the support needed to keep up their resolve would come from a…
Downsizing: It’s Going to Happen and Here’s Why
The trend in space utilization is towards greater efficiency, mobile work and collaborative workspaces. As we have discussed many times on this blog (including here and here), the federal government has embarked on efforts across its…
Uncertainty Ahead over Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
As the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, uncertainty will surely rise over the impending expiration of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (TRIPRA). Under the program, the federal government caps losses faced by insurers…
President Doubles Renewable Energy Targets
If less greenhouse gas pollution and more jobs and energy independence are on your holiday list, President Obama unwrapped an early gift for you. On December 5, he signed a memorandum to implement the next step…
Power Struggle in Hearing over FTC Space Needs
Two Art Deco sculptures adorn the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) headquarters at Constitution and Pennsylvania avenues, depicting muscular men wrestling rebellious stallions and symbolizing government’s role in controlling trade. But a contentious hearing on December 3rd…
GSA Recommends LEED and Green Globes
The wait is over. For 17 months, the GSA has been studying third-party green building certification systems, as required every five years by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). In the first such…