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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10201998 - D3 TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra. FROM: John Cullen Costa County DATE: October 9, 1998 SUBJECT: Weber Facility Replacement SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION R MOENDATIMOM ACCEPT this status report on the Social Service Department's efforts to replace the leased facility at 3431 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, California (Weber Building). AGREE that the highest Social Service facility priority continues to be the replacement of the Weber Building. AFFIRM that the replacement facility is required to remain in the central Richmond area for continuation of employment and other services to attain self-sufficiency to participants who primarily are residents of the City of Richmond. AGREE that it is most cost effective to construct a new facility specifically designed for Social Service program. operations. DIRECT the General Services Department to coordinate efforts with the County Administrator's Office and Social Service Departments to continue meeting with City of Richmond officials to secure an acceptable site and expedite development of the replacement facility APPROVE the plan developed by the Social Service Department to relocate staff from the Weber Building to other Social Service offices located at 1305 Macdonald and 325 Harbour Way, Richmond, on an emergency basis, if required, during the upcoming winter months. BACKGROUM Can February 17, 1998, we presented a report to your Board with both sheat-term and long-term options for replacement of the leased facility at 3431 Macdonald Mom, Richmond, CA. The CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT. ..L1_YES SIGNATURE. RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR -RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Y�APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURES ACTION OF BOA 11 ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED 41*441111% VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS 18 A TRUE 14-UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. �* CC: ATTESTED PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 10BY DEPUTY necessity to develop a short-term option of relocating staff on an emergency basis from the Weber Building to two other Social Service facilities in the downtown Richmond area was due to sewer problems experienced at the Weber Building. As our February 17, 1998, report indicated, the problem was caused by an inadequate-sized main sewer line along Macdonald Avenue. Significant rainfalls overload the sewer system and during such times, the restrooms and sinks cannot be used at the Weber Building. As we indicated in our February 17, 1998, report, irrespective of the sewer system problem, we recognize that the Weber Building no longer meets the needs of the Department. My Department has worked closely with the General Services Department Lease Management Division to develop a replacement alternative. We reviewed over forty separate sites which included retail sites such as the former Macy's building, 325 Harbour Way; commercial sites such as the Bank of America, 261 Harbour Way; and industrial sites such as a printing facility, 225 Harbour Way. We also considered the State Employment Development Department building, 343 - 22nd Street, which is suppose to be declared surplus and available for sale by June, 1999. After thorough review of all alternatives, we determined that the most cost effective alternative is the proposal submitted by a private developer for construction of a new facility located on a vacant City-owned parcel on 19th Street between Macdonald and Nevin Avenues in the Central Richmond area.. The method of constructing and acquiring this facility would be the same as has been utilized for acquisition of other Social Service facilities located at 151 Linus Pauling Drive, Hercules; 30 and 40 Muir Road, Martinez; 40 Douglas Drive, Martinez; and 4545 Delta Fair Boulevard, Antioch. The site would be secured by a private developer who would construct the facility which would meet County specifications. The County would lease the facility with an option to purchase. The facility would be purchased utilizing tax-exempt securities. At the end of the debt-service term, the County would own the facility. This method of acquiring facilities is consistent with Board policy for the County to have an equity interest in long-term County-occupied facilities. Time-wise, once the property is secured by the developer, construction is expected to take approximately 1 year. Therefore, we will need to leave in place our contingency plans for operating out of the Weber facility at least through 1999. While the 19th Street site represents the best alternative in terms of location for services to the participant population, who primarily reside in the central Richmond area, the City of Richmond has expressed concerns about the use of that site. Staff from Social Service, General Services and the County Administrator's office will be meeting with representatives from the Richmond Redevelopment Agency to review the 19th Street site as well as other alternative locations. The current estimate for this project, if located at 19th & Nevin, is approximately $3M, which is comparable to costs of demolition and/or remodel of alternative sites. The Weber Building is a former furniture store and we faced the same 'building footprint limitations and lack of adequate parking when considering renovation of other retail and commercial buildings. All the Social Service facilities listed above in which the County has an equity interest were newly constructed facilities. The ability to properly site a facility, construct the facility to meet program requirements, and adequately provide for parking were achieved through construction of new facilities on vacant parcels of land. This alternative is far superior and more cost effective than renovation of facilities which were originally designed for other uses.