U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), noted entrepreneur Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump joined together to unveil plans to construct a new Trump International Hotel in the Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Denham has long been an advocate for the sale and redevelopment of excess government properties – including the Old Post Office building, which has cost the federal government more than $6.5 million annually. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management last Congress, Denham held two field hearings in the building to discuss his proposal to reduce the number of government properties.
“I am pleased to see Trump International Hotel’s design unveiled today,” said Denham. “This is one of the projects that has been important to me in my efforts to generate economic growth and streamline federal processes, and as the chairman of the Economic Development subcommittee last Congress, I worked closely with the GSA on this project.”
The Old Post Office has been at least partially vacant for years, despite its prime location in downtown Washington, D.C. Roughly half of the building was unused, and an attached retail development has never been fully occupied.
The new Trump hotel will create 700 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs.
“The new use of this building will create jobs and generate revenue for the local economy in the District of Columbia,” Denham continued. “Structures similar to the Old Post Office building sit vacant or underutilized all across the country. Redevelopment of these federal properties is key to job creation and promoting economic growth.”
Denham backed a bill last Congress termed the Civilian Property Realignment Act, which would have seen an independent commission review the government's property holdings and divest unneeded assets. The review would have proceeded in a fashion similar to the Base Realignment and Closure Act, which cut back on military bases.
The measure passed the House but stalled in the Senate; Denham has reintroduced the bill in this Congress.
