NAB is looking to move its headquarters to another section of Washington, closer to Congress and the FCC.
The Board of Directors for the National Association of Broadcasters voted unanimously to pursue the relocation of a new headquarters for the association in the Capitol Hill/Capitol Riverfront section of Washington. The association conducted what it calls a “strategic assessment” on how to improve its lobbying efforts, as well as diversify the NAB’s assets.
NAB owns its current building at the corner of 17th and N Streets in Northwest Washington’s Dupont Circle and has been in that area since 1947.
While that location made sense back when the FCC was nearby with locations on both 19th and M Streets, that agency moved to Southwest Washington in 1996, closer to Congress. By moving NAB to the Capitol Hill/Capitol Riverfront area in Southwest, Washington, the broadcast trade group places itself closer to the center of government action, according to NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith.
“Traffic has become so congested in much of Washington that it is extremely difficult for members of Congress and the FCC to visit NAB’s current headquarters,” says Smith. Moving to the Capitol Hill/Capitol Riverfront area would make it easier for policymakers and regulators to get to NAB, and will allow organization to better showcase broadcast innovation, he said.
The NAB Real Estate Committee and the NAB Executive Committee made the recommendation to move and the full board voted to approve the relocation.
There was no immediate word from the association on when it expects to actually make the move.
