Agenda - 01-30-2007-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Homestead Road Campus I applaud the Board for the foresight demonstrated in the purchase of the Homestead Road property in 1992. A campus environment for operations in southern Orange County is certainly an efficient way to provide service to our public. I encourage the Board to retain the flexibility on the site in order that we may meet future county space needs. That said, it is my understanding there are two building footprints available at the Homestead Road Campus, assuming the residence is removed from the site. (see attached map). Based on feedback from the Health, DSS and Aging departments, along with comments from their respective boards, the expansion requirements to meet long-term space needs at the site are likely to exceed the capacity of a single building footprint. Further, I have been advised by staff that the preliminary assessment of using the Old Post Office to meet twenty-year service demands does not look promising. Justice Facilities in Southern Orange The greatest unknown for development at the Homestead Road Campus is for judicial space. As the Board is well aware, counties are mandated to provide space for court and court-related functions. At present, those needs are met through the use of the Town-owned court facility on Franklin Street and approximately 9,000 square feet of space leased by the County at two locations in Carrboro. The Board recently requested County staff explore existing or expanded facilities at the Franklin Street site to meet long term court facility needs. Based on their preliminary review utilizing old building plans provided by the Town, it appears the expansion area within the current building may not be sufficient or suitable for current court needs. The area for use by court and court-related offices is currently occupied by a teen center and offices that were abandoned by the District Attorney several years ago, as well as some areas that are currently being used as storage for Town records. Much of the area is in a mostly windowless basement and would be challenging and expensive to retrofit into suitable offices for court services. While the court needs for the southern part of the County are less developed than those in Hillsborough, meeting the twenty-year court needs would most certainly require expansion of the Town's building, particularly if we are to assume the Post Office would remain in the building as well. Professional services will be needed in order to determine with any greater specificity the costs and feasibility of using the basement area for court offices or expanding the building. Many of the concrete walls appear to be load bearing and would require a diligent review of the structure before any type of reconfiguration work in the basement area were to begin. It should also be noted that. newspaper reports indicate the Town is considering the request for use of the Old Post Office space by the Children's Museum. 3