County Plans To Add 3 Floors To Administration Building
County commissioners are considering a plan to spend $7.6 million to add three more floors to the county administration building at 6th Street and Denver Avenue.
Tulsa County Fiscal officer Jim Smith said the cost of three additional floors, the remodeling of new space for the jury room and remodeling of the old jury room, is expected to cost $7.6 million.
That money would come from the 4-to-Fix the County II sales tax revenue ($2.825 million), a court clerk fund $300,000), a fund from the treasurer’s office ($780,000) and revenue bonds or borrowing from the county’s own self-insurance fund ($1.965 million).
The three story building, which includes a basement, was built in 1974. It is connected to the eight-story court house through hallways on each of its three floors.
It houses the county clerk, the county assessor, the county treasurer and the board of county commissioners and their staffs. It also contains the county purchasing, engineering and fiscal offices.
Due to space shortages and a leaky roof, the county has been considering alternatives for several months, according to Commissioner Fred Perry. Commissioners looked at buying the 201 W. 5th St. building but Perry recommended to the fiscal committee, a subset of the budget board, that three additional floors be added to the administration building instead.
“The voters approved $2.6 million dollars in 4-to-Fix the County II to address space and renovation needs of the administrative building. An additional two floors would handle our existing needs but the cost to add another floor when the 4th and 5th floors are added, will be small compared to the cost in future years. The 6th floor will also offer opportunities to save money which is now going out for lease payments,†Perry said.
The county leases approximately 19,500 square feet in two other buildings for public defender offices (Pythian Building) and drug court administration offices (Secure Agent Building).
The county is obligated by statute to provide facilities for the courts and the public defender. There is also potential for the District Attorney’s Bogus Check fund offices, presently located in the 201 Building on 5th Street, to come into the county court house/administration complex, Perry said.
“Nearly every department and elected official office in the administration building is short of space. The three stories have been serving these offices since 1974 and the needs have grown a lot during that period of time. The addition of these floors will also allow us to move the inadequate and unsatisfactory jury room from the basement to remodeled space on one of the other floors. In addition, the addition of drug and DUI courts have added to the court house needs. Some offices presently in the court house could be moved to the administration building thereby providing more space in the court house for judicial and criminal justice needs.†Perry said.
Perry pointed out that the county-related offices which are located in other buildings, have total lease payments of approximately $140,000 per month.
This money would no longer need to be paid out and could go towards the bond payment which is a part of the funding for the additional three stories.
“If approved by the budget board, and I think it will be, I think this will be a good investment which will provide better service to the taxpayers and jurors, better retention of records and a savings in money now going out for lease payments. It will also provide better service by bringing some offices from other buildings into the county complex.†Perry said.
The budget board is made up of County Commissioners John Smaligo, Randi Miller and Perry, County Sheriff Stanley Glanz, County Clerk Earlene Wilson, County Treasurer Dennis Semler, County Assessor Ken Yazel and County Clerk Sally Howe Smith. Perry is expected to bring a proposal for a vote in May.
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