[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62508-62509]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23872]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Transfer of Federally Assisted Land or Facility

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to transfer federally assisted land or 
facility.

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SUMMARY: Section 5334(g) of the Federal Transit Laws, as codified, 49 
U.S.C. 5301 et seq., permits the Administrator of the Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA) to authorize a recipient of FTA funds to transfer 
land or a facility to a public body for any public purpose with no 
further obligation to the Federal Government if, among other things, no 
Federal agency is interested in acquiring the asset for Federal use. 
Accordingly, FTA is issuing this notice to advise Federal agencies that 
the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) intends to transfer a parcel 
of land with structures to the City of Bellingham, Washington to use in 
the City's public works division for office space and storage of that 
division's vehicles and equipment. The parcel was formerly used as 
WTA's bus maintenance, operations and administrative facility and 
consists of approximately 29,250 square feet of land on the northeast 
corner of Nevada Street and Virginia Street in Bellingham, Washington 
(post office address: 2200 Nevada Street, Bellingham, WA) situated 
within a heavy commercial and/or light industrial area zoned LM for 
light manufacturing. The property includes a flex-type building 
consisting of a front office and/or administration section, a large, 
attached, multi-purpose shop or warehouse-type rear section and an 
exterior bus was facility. The total building coverage is approximately 
14,966 square feet.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Any Federal agency interested in acquiring the land or 
facility must notify the FTA Region X Office of its interest by 
November 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should notify the Regional Office by 
writing to Richard F. Krochalis, Regional Administrator, Federal 
Transit Administration, 915 Second Avenue, Room 3142, Seattle, WA 
98174.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theodore Y. Uyeno, Regional Counsel 
(206) 220-7958.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    49 U.S.C. 5334(g) provides guidance on the transfer of capital 
assets. Specifically, if a recipient of FTA assistance decides an asset 
acquired under this chapter at least in part with that assistance is no 
longer needed for the purpose for which it was acquired, the Secretary 
of Transportation may authorize the recipient to transfer the asset to 
a local government authority to be used for a public purpose with no 
further obligation to the Government. 49 U.S.C. 5334(g)(1).

Determinations

    The Secretary may authorize a transfer for a public purpose other 
than mass transportation only if the Secretary decides:
    (A) The asset will remain in public use for at least 5 years after 
the date the asset is transferred;
    (B) There is no purpose eligible for assistance under this chapter 
for which the asset should be used;
    (C) The overall benefit of allowing the transfer is greater than 
the interest of the Government in liquidation and return of the 
financial interest of the Government in the asset, after considering 
fair market value and other factors; and
    (D) Through an appropriate screening or survey process, that there 
is no interest in acquiring the asset for Government use if the asset 
is a facility or land.

Federal Interest in Acquiring Land or Facility

    This document implements the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 
5334(G)(1)(D) of the Federal Transit Laws. Accordingly, FTA hereby 
provides notice of the availability of the land or facility further 
described below. Any Federal agency interested in acquiring the 
affected land or facility should promptly notify the FTA. If no Federal 
agency is interested in acquiring the existing land or facility, FTA 
will make certain that the other requirements specified in 49 U.S.C. 
5334(g)(1)(A) through (C) are met before permitting the asset to be 
transferred.

Additional Description of Land or Facility

    The property is a former bus operations and maintenance site 
consisting of an approximately 29,250 square foot parcel of land at the 
corner of Nevada and Virginia Streets in Bellingham, Washington. The 
property is situated within an area zoned LM for light manufacturing 
use. The parcel is located in a heavy commercial/light industrial area. 
The property was previously used as a transit bus operations and 
maintenance facility. The property contains a flex-type building 
consisting of a front office and/or administration section and a large 
attached multi-purpose shop or warehouse rear section for a total 
building coverage of approximately 14,966 square feet. The property 
includes a bus wash facility connected to the main building section 
which includes an enclosed control room servicing an exterior bus wash 
unit of metal framing with ground level guiding tracks for large 
vehicles and installed brushing and swiping apparatus with automatic 
operating system and water lines. The subject lot has perimeter 
dimensions of 130 feet in width from south to north fronting along the 
east side of Nevada Street and is 225 feet in depth or length from west 
to east adjacent to the north side of Virginia Street.
    The entire tract is level and at-grade in relation to both Nevada 
and Virginia Streets, which are fully improved, two-

[[Page 62509]]

way traffic, local streets serving this part of Bellingham, having 
parallel concrete curbs and public sidewalks as well as providing 
curbside vehicular parking. The building improvements consist of 
concrete foundations, basic concrete slab floors, enameled metal side 
walls, flat roofs with gutters and downspouts and various entry doors 
and glass windows. The front office section has exterior dimensions of 
26 feet wide and 112 feet long for a total enclosed ground floor area 
of 2,912 square feet. The interior includes work areas, seven 
individual offices, several work stations, a lounge, two lavatory rooms 
and shower room with small closets and storage rooms. The rear building 
section has exterior dimensions of 80 feet wide by 151 feet long with a 
ground floor coverage of 12,054 square feet. The space is all open and 
non-partitioned with a concrete slab floor, exposed metal sidewalls and 
eleven large metal vehicular size roll-up doors. Miscellaneous site 
improvements include approximately 12,500 square feet of asphalt 
surfaced vehicular parking and maneuvering areas and assorted 
landscaped areas which include shrubberies, trees and ornamentals.
    The general condition of the building appears in good overall 
condition from a structural standpoint and is approximately 26 years 
old. The bus wash facility is considered obsolete or an unnecessary 
improvement.

    Issued on October 12, 2004.
Richard F. Krochalis,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-23872 Filed 10-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M