The IRS Closes Their Headquarters Due to Flooding and Power Outages
On June 29th the IRS announced that their headquarters building (located at 1111 Constit
ution Ave. NW.) will be closed for at least 30 days. “The building will be closed for an extended period of time, and we will reoccupy it only when it is safe to do so,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “We’re working closely with GSA to make all necessary repairs.”
The announcement followed considerable flooding caused by heavy rains to the D.C. area. The building’s subbasement was completely submerged and the basement was under 5-feet of water. The basement houses the building’s electronic equipment, over 90% of which has been damaged. While final assessment is pending, costs are expected to run in the tens of millions of dollars.
Regardless of considerable damage, business has resumed; the 2,400 headquarters employees have been relocated or will telecommute.
The IRS Headquarters Building is just one of a dozen buildings located in the area and houses top IRS officials. Don’t worry – tax claims are processed in another, water-free, building, and the closure of headquarters will not result in any tax administration or enforcement delay. But if you need to send mail to IRS headquarters, the temporary address is:
950 L’Enfant Plaza
5th Floor
Washington , DC 20024
The following types of documents should be sent to this new address: rulings; requests for determination letters; applications for a change in accounting method (Form 3115); complaints; subpoenas; service of process; and public comments on published guidance. Documents previously hand-delivered to IRS headquarters will be handled in the typical manner.
The damage occurred on June 25th, as water surged through basement windows, following heavy rains to the D.C. area. Headquarters initially closed on June 26th and 27th; no tax documents were released on those dates. The IRS anticipated reopening headquarters on June 28th. Obviously, damage was more extensive than first thought. The National Archives and the National Museum of Natural History as well sustained considerable damage.
Learn what you need to know about the IRS for your own tax preparation business.
