Agenda - 03-06-2008-6c - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 Whiffed Center Although there has been no serious discussion about the disposition of the Whitted Building, should the County choose to relocate human services to Hillsborough Commons, several alternatives have been mentioned in passing, any of which may have merit either singularly or in a variety of combinations: • Administrative offices for the Recreation and Parks Department; • Location for non-profit agencies to lease space at an affordable rate; • Performing Arts Center; • Heritage Center; • Condominium/lofts for affordable housing; • Arts School; • Studio space for artists in the Hillsborough arts community; • Office space for the Orange County Arts Commission, currently located at the Court Street Annex; • Administrative offices .for other governmental bodies, including, but not limited to the Orange County Board of Education and/or the Town of Hillsborough. At such time the Board chooses to comment on its collective preference(s), staff will pursue a comprehensive analysis for Board consideration at a later date. FINANCIAL- IMPACT: The attached spreadsheets provide additional information, including the potential fiscal impact of each of the options outlined above. The information is organized as follows: • Section 1: Total anticipated capital costs associated with each option; • Section 2: Summary of the space needs that will be met through the execution of each option; ® Section 3: Summary of square footage that each option would yield; and • Section 4: Detail of capital and construction costs for each option. Costs contained in options will be met through General Fund appropriations, the Capital Investment Plan, alternative financing or a combination of these. Based on the option selected by the Board, an appropriate funding plan will be presented in tandem with the appropriate follow up document approval. For example, should the Board exercise an option that includes a lease then a funding plan would be included when the lease comes back to the Board for approval.. Any lease/purchase arrangement would be conditioned upon Local Government Commission (UGC) approval, which is required for capital leases. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1. Authorize the staff and County Attorney to negotiate the most favorable lease/purchase arrangement possible for the Hillsborough Commons shopping center and as quickly as practicable present the lease for Board approval, with an appropriate funding plan and contingent upon LGC approval; and 2. Exempt this project from the qualification-based selection process as allowed by NCGS § 143-64.32 and authorize the Manager to retain professional services as may be needed to develop a program and construction drawings for the leased premises.