Benzinga | May 24, 2021 09:12AM EDT

Easterly Government Properties Acquires 94,378 SF National Weather Service Regional Headquarters In Kansas City, MO

Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (NYSE:DEA) (the "Company" or "Easterly"), a fully integrated real estate investment trust focused primarily on the acquisition, development and management of Class A commercial properties leased to the U.S. Government, announced today that it has acquired a 94,378 leased square foot National Weather Service (NWS) facility in Kansas City, Missouri ("NWS - Kansas City").

NWS - Kansas City, a build-to-suit facility, was originally constructed in 1998 then substantially renovated in 2020 and is 100% leased to the General Services Administration (GSA) on behalf of the NWS pursuant to a 15-year firm term lease with a five-year fixed rate renewal option, which, if exercised, does not expire until December 2038.

NWS - Kansas City serves as the Central Region Headquarters for the NWS, one of six regional offices strategically located throughout the country. From this facility, NWS manages all operational and scientific meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic programs for the region including observing networks, weather services, forecasting, and climatology and hydrology. This facility also helps to monitor these services and adjust resources to provide the most effective weather and warning services possible. NWS - Kansas City also houses the Aviation Weather Center, one of nine centers within the National Centers for Environmental Prediction of the NWS.

"Easterly is pleased to welcome its newest U.S. Government tenant agency to the Company's growing portfolio," said William C. Trimble, III, Easterly's Chief Executive Officer. "There are few agencies that citizens depend on more than the National Weather Service. It is a mission critical agency within the Department of Commerce, and this highly specialized build-to-suit facility serves the everyday needs of both residents and businesses across sixteen states."

With an enduring mission, NWS - Kansas City includes highly specialized features such as a radar tower, a secure satellite field and a full building generator. The facility houses some of the most advanced technology in weather forecasting and advanced computer equipment, including Doppler radar and the Automated Surface Observation System.