PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In order to save taxpayer dollars, U.S. officials plan to dispose of a Downtown Portland courthouse named after one of Oregon’s longest-serving federal judges.
Earlier this month, the General Services Administration announced that the Gus J. Solomon U.S. Courthouse was one of eight government facilities that could be offloaded in an effort to “right-size and modernize the federal buildings portfolio.”
Other facilities include the Richard B. Anderson Federal Building in Port Angeles, Wash., the James V. Hansen Federal Building in Utah and one of three Federal Office Buildings in Washington, D.C.
GSA reported that disposing of these buildings could reduce the government’s footprint by 1.5 million square feet. The agency also projected the act could save more than $475 million in federal funds over the next decade.
“Moving underutilized and underperforming assets out of the building portfolio allows us to tailor a smaller federal footprint with modern and optimized buildings, which will lead to better buildings,” Public Buildings Commissioner Elliot Doomes said in a statement. “GSA’s robust process includes ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to help maximize the benefits of these buildings’ futures, resulting in stronger communities.”
According to the announcement, the government could either transfer, exchange or sell the properties to another federal, state or local entity — or the public. Officials noted that some of these facilities could serve as additional housing as well.
Located on 620 SW Main St., Portland’s Gus J. Solomon U.S. Courthouse first opened in 1933.
The building didn’t receive its name until 1989. Former U.S. President Harry Truman appointed the courthouse’s namesake as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon in 1949. Solomon held the role for 37 years.
According to the Oregon Historical Society, the late judge was also a Jewish activist who advocated for the rights of other minorities.
