Agenda 03-21-2017 - 6-a - Environmental & Agricultural Center - Visioning Study Update and Development Options

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3 Designer also provided context with best practices in other areas with developed Agriculture Centers. This visioning and stakeholder input process produced three construction alternatives for the project at the existing Revere Road site (all options were analyzed with both a conventional administrative office and open office design concept): 1) A major renovation of the existing facility; 2) Deconstructing the existing facility and replacing it with a conventional steel or pre- engineered steel structure, as well as enhanced exterior wall cladding, and upfit. A pre- engineered steel construction is expected to provide a 20% cost savings with similar functional performance and energy efficiency. 3.) BOCC Space Utilization Principles As previously mentioned, the Space Study Work Group created/was led by guiding principles that were formally adopted over time by the BOCC in 2001, 2005 and 2013. These are paraphrased below (see linked Attachment #4 for full text): 1. Co-location of departments with similar functions and/or those that serve the same customer base. 2. Consolidation of County operations to as few sites as may be practicable in an attempt to gain operational efficiency and customer access. 3. Owning facilities in which County operations are located, as opposed to leasing, except where there exists a compelling business reason to do so 4. Sustainable practices and high-performance building standards will be used in building and maintaining facilities and spaces. 5. The highest and best use of stressed (fully or practically depreciated) facilities will be determined though cost-benefit analysis. Staff applied these guiding principles to evaluate the 4 recommended development options and locations for the EAC. Summary findings and development options. The significant results of this process are as follows: 1. Residual Value: The existing facility is structurally sound and not economically obsolete; 2. Investment Needed: The facility is functionally obsolete and could benefit from a major renovation or deconstruction/reconstruction to provide more efficient administrative and service operations; 3. Location Discussion: The location of the facility on the northern periphery of Hillsborough is desirable, but the space constraints of the Revere Road parcel and the residential character of the location have led some County Commissioners to suggest other uses: e.g. affordable housing or a community center.