 |
|
|
| 11/24/2009 8:36:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Storage building cost raises eyebrows
Committee also considersUW-Extension moveto space in courthouse
Who knew that building a storage building could cost so much?
Oneida County's Buildings and Grounds Committee Tuesday learned that an architect, paid by the county to examine the county's space needs, estimates it could cost about $2.54 million to construct a new storage building adjacent to the county Law Enforcement Center.
The addition, as proposed in the draft copy of the report, would be made of the same or similar materials used in the construction of the Law Enforcement Center so it would blend in with the structures at the site.
The report was a preliminary one from Ayers and Associates, but the cost estimate did raise questions.
The building, which is proposed as 17,500 square-feet in size, would house among many things, vehicles and equipment from the county's radio technician and the underwater dive team as well as equipment and materials from other county departments that need to be stored somewhere.
Moving that equipment and vehicles to the new building would also allow the sheriff's department to store its vehicles inside at the department's River Street location.
Storage space in the new building could also be used to store three buses from the Department on Aging and emergency management vehicles.
County Buildings and Grounds director Curt Krouze, who provided the committee with information from Ayres' draft report, said he believes members of the committee would very likely not be interested in constructing any new storage building which would cost more than $100 per square feet.
"This price ($2.5 million) is way higher than I think the committee would ever agree to," Krouze said. "I believe that we could almost certainly get the building built for slightly less than $2 million. That other price is a little out of the ballpark."
According to Krouze, with the state of the economy he believes construction costs now would be far less now than what they would be during good economic times.
Krouze said there will be much more discussion until any kind of final decision, either to build or not to build, is reached. He also said he expects the final report from Ayres and Associates could be completed within the next couple of weeks or so.
UW-Extension move discussed
Now that the full county board has approved the move of the county's health department just a few blocks from the courthouse to the old WPS building, discussions are being held on the feasibility and possible cost of moving the UW-Extension office from the Rhinelander Oneida County Airport to the county courthouse to occupy the space now being used by the health department.
That space would become vacant with the move. Krouze said he feels it is very likely final approval will eventually be given for the UW-Extension to move to the health department's former space. UW-Extension has merged with the Land and Water Conservation Department. If the UW-Extension office were to move to the courthouse it could then merge its office space with the Land and Water Department.
With that thought in mind, the Buildings and Grounds Committee decided not to accept a new lease agreement with the airport and instead agreed to extend its lease there for one more year and continue with the required four-months notice if they plan to move from the airport location. The airport sought a new five-year lease with required notice six months prior to any move out of the airport space.
Krouze said the committee instructed him to investigate and put together a report on all of the necessary costs for making the former health department location useable by UW-Extension and the combined department.
"They just want to make sure they know what all the costs would be and to make sure nothing is overlooked," Krouze said.
Krouze again said that it appeared to him highly likely that the UW-Extension will eventually move to space in the courthouse, but there is one point that Krouze must investigate which is very important to the operation of the UW-Extension.
"They have many meetings at night and on the weekends," Krouze said. "We have to figure out a way to make their space accessible for those night and weekend meetings and at the same time maintain security for the remainder of the building."
The county's Information Technology Services Department is occupying some cramped space in the courthouse.
Krouze said it's also possible the moves now under consideration could also provide additional space for that department - space that department has already indicated they need.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee will hold much more discussion about both issues at its next meeting.
Joe VanDeLaarschot can be reached by email at jvandelaarschot@lakelandtimes.com.
|
Comment on this story
|
|
|
|
