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a <br />Memorandum <br />TO: County Commissioners <br />From: Laura Blackmon, County Manager yJ <br />RE: Space Study Comments <br />Date: January 30, 2007 <br />Upon my arrival as the County Manager, the Board asked me to review the space study <br />as presented on November 9, 2006 and provide comments after soliciting additional <br />information from departments and their advisory boards. This report documents the <br />results of my review. <br />After reviewing the basis of the study with staff, I feel that, generally speaking, the <br />recommendations are sound. As the Board may know, a fairly elaborate needs <br />assessment was conducted in 2000 to determine the departmental space needs upon <br />which the foundation of the current study is based. The guiding principles used to <br />analyze and determine space locations and adjacencies support organizational goals I <br />advocate. The study period projected space needs for a period of twenty years and <br />was updated in both 2004 and 2006 to reflect current conditions. Except for areas <br />specifically noted in this document, staff is confident that implementing the study <br />recommendations as presented in November 2006 will provide adequate space for <br />County operations throughout the study period. A full schedule of departmental <br />requirements is attached for your information. <br />Based on my independent review and comments from various advisory boards, I have <br />three primary areas of concern. <br />• Operations space for both Health and Social Services at the Whitted Building <br />• Expansion capabilities at the Homestead Road Campus <br />• Departmental' locations for the Downtown Hillsborough County Campus <br />Health and DSS Space at the Whitted Building <br />One of my primary concerns is our ability to address the comments from the Health and <br />DSS Boards with respect to the Whitted Building (see attached comments from Boards). <br />Efficient operations in both departments are currently hampered by overcrowded <br />conditions with only minimal additional space recommended for reallocation. Although <br />the report presented November 2006 recommends the Heritage Center be located at <br />this facility in approximately 10,000 square feet of space that the Library will vacate, I <br />propose the Board allow me to work with staff to identify an alternative location for the <br />Center, thereby allowing the total approximately 12,000 square feet to be allocated for <br />use by these two departments (2008).