Franklin County looks to purchase new building to help overcrowding, ending leases
Franklin County employees have been dealing with overcrowding for years, but a pending purchase could help alleviate some of that pressure and bring one department back closer to the courthouse.
Franklin County Commissioners are currently in the process of purchasing a building just down the street from the courthouse. The property at 1310 N. 5th Ave. will cost the county an estimated $1.1 million, which will be paid for with a large portion of their remaining federal ARPA funds.
Franklin County Administrator Mike Gonzalez looked at several other nearby properties at the request of the commissioners and found that the land alone to build a facility that would fit their needs would cost them more than $1 million. A gas station down the street that they had considered purchasing for about $2.5 million in 2009 is now asking $4 million, he said.
The planning department will likely have priority for which employees could move into the building, because their current lease near the Tri-Cities Airport is not likely to be renewed as the airport expands.
Planning and Building Director Derrick Braaten estimated they would need to put in a few hundred thousand dollars in renovation work to get the building ready for employees, but told commissioners it would fit their current needs.
The planning office is also where residents need to go for permitting, so this building would be more convenient for anyone needing to also visit the courthouse. Gonzalez estimated the costs of leasing a new space that would fit their needs would quickly outpace the purchase price of the property they’re looking at.
The building is about 5,000-square feet with a basement. At one point it was a law office.
The county anticipates closing on the property by the end of the month, if given final approval by commissioners.
This story was originally published October 12, 2023 at 12:40 PM.
