GSA Sells Arden Hills' Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant for $28 Million

CHICAGO, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced the sale and transfer of a 427-acre portion of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) in Arden Hills, Minn., to Ramsey County for $28 million. The sale is part of GSA's ongoing efforts to dispose of excess federal property to save taxpayer dollars and make more efficient use of the government's real estate assets.

"The sale of surplus federal real estate not only saves taxpayer dollars, but also puts properties to new uses at the local level, sparking commercial economic activity," said GSA Great Lakes Regional Administrator Ann P. Kalayil. "The TCAAP sale directly supports President Obama's directive to shrink the federal real estate footprint to reduce costs and bolster efficiency."

The deal transfers ownership of 397 acres to Ramsey County immediately, while the remaining 30 acres will be transferred to the county after it conducts environmental remediation, which is expected to take approximately three years. This sale a good example of GSA's commitment to work with communities like Ramsey County and make more efficient use of surplus federal properties. GSA's disposal team in Boston facilitated the sale, and this transaction is another example of GSA's mission to deliver better value and savings for the American people.

The county, in partnership with the city of Arden Hills, intends to promote economic development by ensuring that future development at TCAAP provides employment opportunities and improves the tax base and the local economy. The TCAAP conveyance is a complex and innovative transaction that creates local jobs in the environmental remediation, building demolition and construction industries. As part of the consideration, Ramsey County executed a $23 million contract for environmental remediation and building demolition, which is now underway.

The property is a portion of the former Twin Cities Ordnance Plant which during World War II, occupied nearly four square miles. The Army constructed 323 buildings and at the peak of production, employed 24,000 civilian and military personnel. The workforce produced 16.5 billion rounds of small-caliber ammunition for World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.

GSA is moving aggressively to dispose of surplus properties, and the agency is currently hosting auctions, requesting industry input, and offering proposed exchanges so it can put even more surplus and underutilized properties to new uses. Since 2010, GSA has completed nearly 400 disposal transactions nationwide, which have generated $145 million in proceeds and eliminated more than 12,500 acres of excess land.

For more information regarding federal property for sale, please visit GSA's property disposal website at PropertyDisposal.gsa.gov.

The mission of GSA is to deliver best value in real estate, acquisition and technology services to government and the American people. The agency delivers this commitment through six priority areas that include: delivering better value and savings; serving our partners; expanding opportunities for small businesses; creating a more sustainable government; leading with innovation; and building a stronger GSA.

SOURCE U.S. General Services Administration