Amherst offices facing a space crunch

By Justin Faulconer

Published: July 30, 2008

By Justin Faulconer

(434) 385-5556

Amherst County officials can spend millions more and aim for longevity or spend millions less and fix temporary issues.

Either way, the need for space and improvements in the county’s administration facilities is a pressing issue facing the Board of Supervisors.

For the past year the board has explored the options of either renovating two existing locations where air and heating is failing or building a new 20,000-square-feet facility next to the county’s main two-story administration site at Washington Street.

The estimates range from $2.8 million to nearly $4.2 million, with the more expensive option construction of a new facility.

Supervisors haven’t taken official action but have directed County Administrator Rodney Taylor to study the feasibility of relocating a maintenance facility east of the main administration building, where a new building would possibly be located.

Relocation of the facility would open up parking should plans for a new administration facility go forward, Taylor said. 

The county is advertising for an architectural firm to develop a site plan and cost estimates for a new building and removing the maintenance facility, Taylor said. The matter is set for the board’s Aug. 19 meeting, he said.

If a new building is constructed, Taylor said, it allow for relocation of offices for the county treasurer, commissioner of the revenue and the extension office.

Those offices are currently at a facility on Goodwin Street, where the heating and air condition system would need immediate repairs.

The Goodwin street building and a church the county uses could be demolished or put up for sale by the county under some scenarios.

“Those are future decisions to be made,” said Taylor.

Offices for building safety, planning and zoning, public health, accounting and social services also need more space, he said.

People are sharing offices and working in cramped conditions.

“They literally have people working in closets down there (in social services),” said Taylor.

The county has close to $3 million available from bond proceeds and nearly $500,000 in capital improvement money to pay for the project.

Leon Parrish, the board’s vice chairman, said he feels the board could hold off on any decisions to wait and see how the economy bounces back.

“We’re going to keep in the forefront,” Parrish said, “because we know there’s a need for it.”

Taylor said that whatever course the county proceeds on would likely take at least two years to complete.