Window-shopping : Tour features possibilities for county space issues
Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/63570/
Several justices of the peace took a tour Thursday of key buildings and land involved with discussions about space issues at the Washington County Courthouse.
They toured the courthouse; property on Joyce Boulevard; the county’s south campus in Fayetteville, where the detention center and juvenile detention center are located; and the Terminella Building and Public Defender’s Office on College Avenue in downtown Fayetteville.
After the tour, the members of the Public Works Committee, which conducted the trip as part of their meeting, scheduled a public input session on space issues and what to do about them.
The hearing is set from 4: 30-6: 30 p. m. April 24 in the Quorum Court Room at the courthouse. The plan is to talk finances in May, said Joe Patterson, chairman of the Public Works Committee.
Space issues in the courthouse that JPs have discussed include whether to move the courts or other government functions to another location, expand the existing courthouse, or build a new one elsewhere.
Courtrooms Fourth Circuit Judge William Storey said courtrooms designed in the early 1990 s have worked well for the courts’ space needs. His courtroom and that of 4 th Circuit Judge Kim Smith facing College Avenue are the same size, while the two courtrooms on the east side are smaller. Even with 75-100 people in the courtroom during large trials, Storey said, “ it gets cramped, but you can still get them in here. ”
Administration County Judge Jerry Hunton talked to the JPs about the space the judge’s office uses on the fifth floor, which encompasses different aspects of administration, from purchasing to human resources. “ There’s a ton of work that comes through this floor, ” he said.
A company occupied the floor until it vacated the building in 2002 when its lease expired. The judge’s office, which had been on the second floor, then moved into the vacant spot.
Hunton encouraged that any plan addressing county space needs keep in mind the requirements of the county judge’s office. He said he thinks it is important for the judge’s office to be located with other administrative functions, such as the collector’s office. He said many county residents stop by to see him when they are doing county business. Moving to another location might not be as good for the citizenry, he said. “ Is your state court system more important than your county CEO ? ” he asked. “ That’s something that you’re going to have to weigh. ”
Parking deck, skyway Hunton also mentioned the possibility — it is just in the idea phase — of working out a deal with churches across from the courthouse and building a parking garage and skywalk. He said the parking could be used by the churches on weekends and evenings. The churches that own property in the area are St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and First Baptist Church of Fayetteville.
“ It might alleviate the parking issue, ” he said.
When interviewed about it later, Hunton estimated the deck could include 300 parking spaces at about $ 15, 000 a piece, with the skywalk costing $ 250, 000 to $ 500, 000 — making the total project cost up to $ 5 million. There are 231 parking spaces around the courthouse now.
Following the cour thouse visit, the field trip went north, where County Administrator John Gibson pointed to two pieces of land for sale: about 18 acres on Steele Boulevard priced at about $ 6 million and about 11 acres on Joyce Boulevard, behind the post office, priced at about $ 7 million.
County officials also toured about 13 acres on the south campus for the possible location of a judicial complex. The plan is opposed by many members of the legal community and the judges.
Terminella Building JPs also toured the Terminella Building owned by developer Tom Terminella. He said he built the building with the intention of using it for a lifetime. “ My plans have changed, ” he said, citing what he called a challenging real estate market. He said the building has 20, 000 square feet he had originally priced at $ 5. 1 million, but added he would sell it to the county for about $ 4. 5 million.
He said the appraised value is higher, but added, “ I would very much prefer the county end up with it. ”
He said it was built with the highest standards and is an environmentally friendly building.
“ It took me six or seven years to plan the building, ” he said.
The first floor features a large open space, while the second floor is office space.
“ I’d like to do anything I can to facilitate the sale of this to the county, ” he said, adding that the county government ought to be located “ here in the core of the downtown” area as it has been for the past 150 years.
He encouraged JPs to call him if they have anymore questions.
“ I can see this is a wellbuilt building, ” Patterson said.
“ I’m going as aggressively as I possibly can on pricing, ” Terminella said. Public Defender’s Office
The last stop on the tour was the Public Defender’s Office, which the county rents for $ 3, 750 per month, plus utilities, from 4 th Circuit Judge Mary Ann Gunn, according to Gibson. There are 15 people using the converted house, and while it is a nice office space, there is not enough of it, said Chuck Hargus, assistant administrator of the office.
“ I am the security, ” he said. “ We’ve got no security. ”
The Public Works Committee returned to the courthouse following the tour to complete the meeting.
JPs discussed the nearly $ 15 million that is available to meet different space needs.
The county could either use a portion of that money and leave some in reserve or raise taxes, JP Tom Lundstrum said.
JP David Daniel said he liked the parking deck and skywalk idea raised by Hunton.
JP Mary Ann Spears said she thinks the Terminella Building was ideal for the Public Defender’s Office.