Back when Metro was trying to finalize its huge deal with Parsons Transportation Group, we asked to see all the letters and e-mails between Metro and the Washington Group — negotiations there had fallen apart in early 2008 — to possibly shed some light on the hold-up.
We’re still not sure why the Washington deal soured, because apparently there were no letters or e-mails exchanged between the two companies for the final six months of negotiations. (The last e-mail we got from Metro was dated September 2007).
We did find one problem, though; the Washington Group was afraid to work by MacGregor Park.
After looking at a potential location for an Outreach Office at 4822 MLK Blvd., Metro received a memo:
“The subject space was shocking in its disrepair and dilapidated condition… it was probably not the safest area, particularly if we had computers and other equipment (which we will have.) He also offered that we were not typical of the area’s leasing clientele…”
The Washington Group recommended a different location, because “lack of
security/safety” and the area by MacGregor Park was “not representative
of WGI’s or METRO’s public image.”
The Washington Group hasn’t
returned our call, so we asked Metro spokeswoman Raequel Roberts why
that area didn’t represent Metro’s image, and she told us, via e-mail,
“You would need to ask Washington Group what they meant by that
comment, we do not know.”
So maybe that’s why the deal fell
apart: Somebody says something that the people at Metro don’t
understand, so they just let it slide. If Parsons starts throwing
around ideas Metro doesn’t understand, we hope it asks for some
clarification, considering all that money involved.
This article appears in Mar 26 – Apr 1, 2009.