ORD-2010-096 Approval of Health Dept Expansion - Whitted Human Service Building

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2 be discussed options may be viable in the future, it is not clear when economic circumstances would allow the County to enter into a building program this endeavor represents. To maintain the necessary level of service for health and dental services and to anticipate and respond to the projected increase in needed services future health care reform may present, staff has worked to develop interim plans that support needed services for at least the next decade. Renovation of the current clinic area and areas vacated by Social Services at the Whitted Building is proposed. In January 2010 the Board authorized the reallocation of space at the Whiffed Building for 1) the Health and Dental Clinics; and 2) for administrative space to be used by the Orange County Board of Education. According to the abstract, the renovation of the Health Clinic area was to serve three to five years pending decisions relative to the Hillsborough Commons project. The cited cost estimate was $200,000- $250,000, plus equipment. This renovation would have covered three major areas: HVAC re- zoning to serve the new use; bare essential electrical modifications to provide appropriate electrical service for the relocated equipment; and painticarpet needed to make the space presentable. This level of renovation did not invoke additional work for building code compliance. Since January 2010, two notable actions have been taken which resulted in an increased scope of work, and therefore associated cost, of renovating the Whitted space: 1.) Plans to consolidate Dental Services to the Whitted Building were approved by the Board in September 2010; and 2.) The decision to not pursue purchase of Hillsborough Commons as reiterated by the Board in various discussions, November 18, 2010 being the most recent. Upon approval of the consolidated dental services in September, the architect was asked to formulate the plans which would adequately support the expanded services using the reallocated space at Whitted. Health and Dental staff worked with the architect to prepare a plan that would serve the needs of the community for an estimated seven to ten years. The presented plan reflects those efforts. In September 2010 the County Manager reported the Orange County School Board's intent to decline use of the Whiffed Building. The Board of Education's declination of the space prompted the County to consider more seriously how to address structural issues created by substandard building practices employed in the pre- 1970's renovations. While the building is structurally sound, a structural analysis conducted during the 2000 HVAC renovation at the site revealed three areas that would benefit from reinforcement should the area be utilized for purposes other than general office use: 1.) Conference room on the first floor adjacent to the old library space; and 2.) Area previously used by the Library for the children's collection; and 3.) Second floor office areas immediately above the old library space. Although no assignment has been approved for use of the subject areas #1 and #2 above, Board members will recall that representatives of the arts community have appeared before the Board requesting use of the building. Further, on November 18, 2010, the Board authorized the Manager to continue discussions with the Town of Hillsborough regarding a possible agreement for use of the old Library space for this purpose. Should an agreement occur for this purpose, the structure beneath the two areas identified in #1 and #2 above need to be considered.