The District of Columbia and Metro are poised to enter discussions for the city to purchase the property that houses the transit system’s 71-year-old Southeast bus garage.

Metro’s board of directors will consider a proposal at its Thursday board meeting to forgo a public bid process and negotiate directly with the District.

City officials expressed their interest in the M Street property, which is close to the Washington Nationals’ new baseball stadium, in a June 27 letter.

Metro routinely grants local governments the first chance to purchase surplus properties at market price.

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The city has been eyeing the garage property for its potential value in the building boom surrounding the new stadium.

Mixed-use buildings, which combine retail, residential and office space, are springing up throughout that area of Southeast.

After selling the exiting garage site, Metro plans to relocate within three years to a new $130 million facility in Southwest, which will also house its police training operations.

“It’s more than just economic development,” said D.C. Council Member Jim Graham, who also serves on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s board of directors. “This is important from a pedestrian safety perspective. You don’t want hundreds of buses moving in and out of the garage on game day. It’s smart to move.”

Metro estimated it could receive $60 million by selling the garage property.

The money would help fund the construction of the new garage and police training facility.

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com