MTA assesses its real estate

Saying it must “rationalize” the use of its far-flung real estate holdings given a workforce decline of 18 percent in recent years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week said it was reassessing its office-space holdings.

No decisions on potential closings have been made, the MTA reported.

The MTA houses a number of departments at 525 N. Broadway in White Plains, utilizing some 66,000 square feet.

The building is currently undergoing renovations, but continues to be the office for some MTA employees now ”“ 200 by August when work is complete ”“ across a spectrum of functions: safety, environmental compliance, capital construction, customer service (including the information telephone center that handles the bulk of calls assisted by a satellite operation at a window in Grand Central Terminal), the budget function for the Maintenance of Way Department (track, structures, communications and signals), the parking group in the Department of Business Development and training via the Operating Divisions Compliance and Certification groups.

There are also several 24-7 functions there: the IT help desk and network maintenance and the ticket vending machine IT department. The building also accommodates security functions that are unspecified by policy.

“Right now, we are trying to rationalize the office space given the administrative staff reductions,” said spokeswoman Marjorie Anders.

The MTA bought the building and three-deck 112-space garage for $15.5 million in 2008.