County on track for renovation of Jeffreys Building
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 6, 2008 1:46 PM
Work has been under way for about 30 days on the $853,000 facelift of the county-owned Jeffreys Building (the old Federal Building).
Some demolition has taken place and construction has started. Supplies should soon be moved in.
The county's emergency services and telecommunications currently are located on the second floor. Some emergency services operations and human resources will share the first floor once renovations are completed. Environmental health, inspections and planing will occupy the third floor.
The building will become the home of several more county offices -- the environmental health, inspections and planning departments. Also moving in will be some of the Wayne Net operations.
The renovated building will contain a training facility, too.
The project is expected to take 9 to 12 months to complete.
"We are trying to use the buildings that we have, as long as we can," said County Manager Lee Smith. "I think this will help extend the life of that building. We will move some people around and open up some space in the courthouse for judges, the clerk of court, the district attorney and allow us to move people over there (Jeffreys Building).
"Maybe it will make it a little easier to go for inspections or environmental health. It should be easier over there, we think. Coming to the courthouse is tough with parking especially on a full court day and with a lot of other things going."
The county set aside a certain amount of money over the past several years for the project and is using that appropriation to pay cash for the work.