Jill Schramm/MDN The Bruce M. Van Sickle Federal Building and Courthouse is on a list of properties being evaluated for potential disposal.

Minot’s 110 year old federal courthouse is on a list of properties being considered for potential sale by the federal government.

The downtown Bruce M. Van Sickle Federal Building and Courthouse houses federal offices that include staff with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and offices of Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND. The building could be sold if an assessment by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) determines it is cost effective to do so..

A statement from Hoeven’s office said, “As we understand it, the GSA is assessing these properties to determine how they can be best utilized for American taxpayers. The assessment includes current use, costs and other market conditions. This is the start of the disposition process and they are not currently for sale.”

“GSA is categorizing underutilized buildings in the federal inventory, something it should have been doing all along,” Cramer said. “By the government’s own accounting, vast amounts of federal buildings are barely used or sitting empty, wasting taxpayer dollars. Congress passed bipartisan reforms last year, including my Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act (FASTA), to use or lose underutilized buildings. We need to fully utilize existing inventory, whatever is leftover should be cut.”

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, R-ND, said the nation needs to address its debt, calling it a monstrous curse on the country’s future during a news conference Wednesday. The State of North Dakota always has regularly evaluated its building space to ensure it is spending its money wisely, and the federal government needs to do the same, she said.

“To be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars, we have to be good managers,” Fedorchak said.

The GSA also is assessing a building used by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Minot. The Social Security Administration is reviewing its lease in a building housing its office in southwest Minot.

A federal building in Fargo and parking lot in Bismarck also are on the latest list of properties being considered for disposition.

Meanwhile, the Federal Building in Bismarck is in the Preparation phase, in which the GSA works with agencies in the building to develop requirements for relocation. GSA announced in December the disposition process for eight properties, including the Federal Building in Bismarck. The next phase after preparation begins the normal disposition process.

The Bismarck building was constructed in 1913 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Van Sickle building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. A 1940 renovation added three stories to the rear of the building. The building is named after a former district judge in the federal District of North Dakota from 1971 to 2002.

The GSA issued a statement Wednesday, saying the goal of publishing non-core assets for disposition was two fold:

– to align with President Trump’s direction to bring federal employees back to high performing office spaces throughout the country.

– to drive maximum value for the federal real estate footprint for the benefit of the American taxpayer.

It also previously stated disposal of certain assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows reinvestment in high-quality work environments that support agency missions.

“Just because an asset is on the list doesn’t mean it’s immediately for sale,” the GSA stated. “However, we will consider compelling offers (in accordance with applicable laws and regulations) and do what’s best for the needs of the federal government and taxpayer.”

The GSA anticipates the disposition list will be republished in the near future after evaluating initial input. It reiterated that it will continuously review and update the list of non-core assets.