Federal Board Recommends Selling Historic Coast Guard Building on Boston Waterfront

The circa-1918 structure is one of 11 federal properties nationwide identified as candidates for disposition.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A federal board has recommended selling an eight-story waterfront office building at 408 Atlantic Ave., commonly known as the Coast Guard building, on the edge of Boston's Financial District. The recommendation is part of a broader report released Thursday that outlines options to address the chronic underfunding of the federal government's building portfolio.

Why it matters

The Coast Guard building has previously appeared on federal surplus property lists, underscoring its recurring role in discussions about optimizing the government's real estate footprint. The evolving list of assets under review in Boston highlights how federal disposition strategies can shift from administration to administration.

The details

In addition to the Coast Guard building, the board plans further analysis on the potential sale of three large federal properties in Boston totaling about 2.6 million square feet: the JFK building at Government Center, the O'Neill building, and the John W. McCormack Building. The report indicates that these properties are under review rather than formally recommended for sale at this stage.

  • The federal board released its recommendation report on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

The players

Federal Board

A federal board that has recommended selling the Coast Guard building and reviewing other federal properties in Boston as part of a broader effort to address the chronic underfunding of the federal government's building portfolio.

Coast Guard Building

An eight-story waterfront office building at 408 Atlantic Ave. in Boston's Financial District, commonly known as the Coast Guard building, that has been identified as a candidate for disposition by the federal board.

JFK Building

A large federal property in Boston's Government Center that is under review by the federal board for potential sale.

O'Neill Building

A large federal property in Boston that is under review by the federal board for potential sale.

John W. McCormack Building

A large federal property in Boston that is under review by the federal board for potential sale.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The federal board will conduct further analysis on the potential sale of the JFK building, O'Neill building, and John W. McCormack Building in Boston.

The takeaway

The federal board's recommendation to sell the historic Coast Guard building on Boston's waterfront is part of a broader effort to address the chronic underfunding of the federal government's real estate portfolio, highlighting the evolving nature of federal disposition strategies across administrations.