Part of Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld‘s plan to turn around the hapless transit agency has little to do with rails and inspections, at least in itself: potentially selling its 308,342 square foot headquarters at 600 5th St. NW.

To that end, Metro on Friday published a request for information on the sale of the eight-story Jackson Graham Building, named after the agency’s first general manager and located just east of Verizon Center. The RFI, according to the document, “is intended to solicit responses from firms that have experience in delivering large-scale real estate redevelopment projects, especially involving development adjacent to Metro tunnels and involving the replacement or repositioning of [Metro] infrastructure.” These specifications are key because the Red Line runs through one of the building’s basement levels, and the roof of the building features antennae as well as “chillers” that cool three nearby Metro stations. The revenue from a sale, Wiedefeld has previously indicated, would funnel into “customer service initiatives.”

Jackson Graham also has 187 parking spaces across 55,750 square feet. The location practically sells itself:

The RFI makes apparent at least two options for redeveloping the building: “‘Reskinning’ or repositioning” it, including the construction of additional floors, and a “full demolition” of the site. These could be enacted through a fee-simple sale or long-term lease agreement. Metro hasn’t said anything about a replacement for its headquarters, although in 2007, then-Mayor Adrian Fenty proposed an agency move to Anacostia.

The site is worth millions of dollars, according to an analysis by the District’s Office of Tax and Revenue:

Metro will offer tours of the Jackson Graham Building from April 5 to 7; RFI responses are due by May 1.

Photos courtesy of Metro