U.S. government buys large property on Rt. 50

The federal government has acquired a 43.6-acre complex on Route 50 in Falls Church from GBA Associates for $285 million, the Washington Business Journal reported on Sept. 25.

The property, at 7700 Arlington Blvd., serves as the headquarters of the Defense Health Agency, which provides healthcare to members of the military and their families and operates over 700 hospitals and clinics across the world.

The fee-simple acquisition was handled for the federal government by the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. The National Capital Planning Commission had no problems with the sale when it was previewed at the NCPS’s meeting in July, according to the WBJ.

The complex formerly housed the Raytheon Corp.  

The Defense Health Agency has occupied the property since 2011, after signing a 15-year, $370 million lease. It was the largest lease signed in Northern Virginia in 2010, the WBJ reports. The deal was part of the Base Realignment and Closure process that forced the military’s healthcare providers to consolidate from 14 locations across the country.

The campus has three office buildings with a total of 686,000 square feet and 2,000 parking spaces. 

Related story: Inova acquires two medical buildings