MARFA — Last Tuesday, the Marfa Border Patrol building at 300 W Madrid Street was included on a since-deleted list of federal buildings up for sale by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The list is part of the Trump administration’s push to cut government spending, specifically by reducing the amount of real estate that the government owns and maintains. In February, Wired reported GSA employees were told that they needed to shed more than 500 federal buildings and to divide properties into “core” and “non-core” assets.
The magazine reported last week that the entire list of “non-core” properties, which included the Marfa building, was taken down within 24 hours of its posting. Officials insist that the list was misinterpreted by reporters. “To be clear, just because an asset is on the list doesn’t mean it’s immediately for sale,” a spokesperson for the GSA told El Paso’s ABC-7. “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.”