$853,000 facelift set for Jeffreys Building
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 10, 2008 1:45 PM
The county-owned Jeffreys Building (the old Federal Building) will be getting an $853,000 facelift in preparation of becoming the home of several more county offices.
D.S. Simmons has been awarded the contract for the work and the county is preparing for pre-construction meetings. It will take between 60 to 90 days to get the project under way.
"It could be as much as 12 months to complete the project, but we are hoping for nine months," County Manager Lee Smith said. "It depends on the weather and their ability to get supplies. We have put money away for three years to pay for that. So we will be able to pay cash. We have been planning it."
The project is part of the county's plans to open up space in the courthouse to expand the district attorney's, judges' and clerk of courts' offices spaces. The move also will provide a longer life for the building, Smith said.
"And I hope it will help with (alleviating) parking (congestion)," he said.
On some court days, there is almost no parking, Smith said.
Smith said he encourages county employees to park away from the building.
"First of all I say you can get wellness points for walking," Smith said.
Meanwhile, planning is in the initial stages for renovations to the Sullivan Building (the old tax building). That project would allow relocation of some state employees now in the courthouse.
Once renovations at the Jeffreys Building are completed, the environmental health, inspections and planning departments will move in. Also moving will be some of the Wayne Net operations.
As well as providing office space, the renovated structure will contain a training facility.
Plans call for most of the workers there to be house in cubicle-enclosed areas instead of offices. However, some directors and supervisors may have officers and there will be office areas to provide places for private meetings, Smith said.
Currently, the county's emergency services and telecommunications are located on the second floor.
When the project is completed some emergency services operations and human resources will share the first floor. Environmental health, inspections and planing will occupy the third floor.