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1 <br /> ORD-2020-003 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: January 21, 2020 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-1 <br /> SUBJECT: Lease of 308 W. Franklin Street and Suite 101 at the Europa Center, and <br /> Approval of Budget Amendment #4-C <br /> DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1) Lease of 308 W. Franklin Street Steven Arndt, AMS Director, <br /> 2) Lease of Suite 101- Europa Center 919-245-2628 <br /> Alan Dorman, AMS Assistant Director, <br /> 919-245-2627 <br /> PURPOSE: To authorize the Manager to sign the lease for 308 W. Franklin Street and the <br /> lease for Suite 101, Europa Center, upon final review by the County Attorney, and approve <br /> Budget Amendment #4-C. <br /> BACKGROUND: On November 19, 2019, it was announced that Orange County would provide <br /> two of its facilities, 501 and 503 West Franklin to Well Dot, Inc., a healthcare technology <br /> company, at terms to be determined in the coming months. Well Dot will renovate the facilities <br /> for the purpose of establishing a new operations and corporate center in Chapel Hill that will <br /> create about 400 high-paying jobs over five years. It is, therefore, necessary to find new <br /> locations for the County departments and County supported agencies housed at these facilities. <br /> 501 and 503 West Franklin are occupied by the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, <br /> Guardian ad Litem, and the Skills Development Center. Two other organizations lease space <br /> from the County at 501 West Franklin — Seal the Seasons and ISLA (Immersion for Spanish <br /> Language Acquisition), both of which are in the process of finding new spaces to lease. <br /> After an exhaustive search, the County has identified two separate locations that will fit the <br /> needs of the affected departments. If the Board approves the leases for these spaces, the <br /> County will begin the process of selecting an architectural firm to design the renovations, bid the <br /> work, and manage the construction process. The leases of Suite 101 at the Europa Center and <br /> 308 West Franklin Street will begin March 1st and April 1st, 2020 respectively, with an expected <br /> move-in date of June 2020 after the renovations have been completed. <br /> The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau reviewed potential sites on 1-40 and in Carrboro <br /> and Chapel Hill and has identified 308 West Franklin Street as an ideal location. The 4,000 <br /> square foot facility is visually welcoming with 17 parking spaces, handicapped parking and ease <br />