Home » News » Politics
June 25. 2012 12:05AM
Manchester police station's future to be decided
MANCHESTER — What should the city do with the old police station?
A study will get under way to provide some advice. Private experts will examine city space requirements and the space available at the police station, the Rines Center on Elm Street and the public facilities headquarters on Clay Street.
Alderman Edward Osborne, chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Facilities, is pushing for the city to keep the property and use some of it for offices and storage space while filling it with rent-paying private tenants.
“It won't cost us anything, especially if we lease out half of it,” Osborne said. “It will cover expenses, light and heat, and we can bring in one or two departments that are currently leasing space.”
Osborne claims rent on the building would be close to what he says the city could expect in annual property taxes if it is sold — $40,000.
Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas wants to sell the building and split the money between the schools and city to upgrade the city's information technology systems.
“We are not in the landlord business,” Gatsas said.
But the city is in the business of governing, which means it produces vast piles of paper. Even in an age of scanners and digitized records, the state still requires original paper copies of some documents to be kept on file for years. As a result, the production of paper is outpacing the city's storage space.
“It's a need that has been festering for a while,” said city Chief Facilities Manager Kevin O'Maley. “Storage clerks have statutory requirements; they have to continue to keep some paper documents.”
A special inter-departmental city committee reported that the City Clerk's office and the Planning and Community Development department are at “maximum capacity” for records storage. The group refers to the police station as “an asset to the community” and recommends against getting rid of it.
The building has come through its 45 years of service in fairly good shape, officials said. “We did a code review and facilities analysis,” O'Maley said. “It is well-built and well-designed.”
Still, it needs work. The Facilities Department study said the windows need to be replaced, the lobby needs major repairs, the air circulation system needs an overhaul and the entire building needs to be tested for lead-based paint and asbestos building materials.
The building has nearly 46,000 square feet of space. but only 29,000 square feet is considered appropriate for offices. The special committee says city departments that currently rent quarters elsewhere could move in, while the space considered unusable, including the firing range, cell blocks and open areas, can be converted for storage.
The city's Health Department and information technology operations are seen as the most likely candidates to move to Chestnut Street should the city keep the police station.
Harvey Construction put the price tag on converting for the Health Department at close to $7 million, and the cost of renovating for information technology and office space at $5 million.
O'Maley is currently preparing a solicitation for the space needs study. The budget passed by aldermen this month provides $55,000 to keep the building secure while a decision about its future is made.
“At the end of the day, it is really the aldermen's decision,” O'Maley said.
wsmith@unionleader.com
A study will get under way to provide some advice. Private experts will examine city space requirements and the space available at the police station, the Rines Center on Elm Street and the public facilities headquarters on Clay Street.
Alderman Edward Osborne, chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Facilities, is pushing for the city to keep the property and use some of it for offices and storage space while filling it with rent-paying private tenants.
“It won't cost us anything, especially if we lease out half of it,” Osborne said. “It will cover expenses, light and heat, and we can bring in one or two departments that are currently leasing space.”
Osborne claims rent on the building would be close to what he says the city could expect in annual property taxes if it is sold — $40,000.
Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas wants to sell the building and split the money between the schools and city to upgrade the city's information technology systems.
“We are not in the landlord business,” Gatsas said.
But the city is in the business of governing, which means it produces vast piles of paper. Even in an age of scanners and digitized records, the state still requires original paper copies of some documents to be kept on file for years. As a result, the production of paper is outpacing the city's storage space.
“It's a need that has been festering for a while,” said city Chief Facilities Manager Kevin O'Maley. “Storage clerks have statutory requirements; they have to continue to keep some paper documents.”
A special inter-departmental city committee reported that the City Clerk's office and the Planning and Community Development department are at “maximum capacity” for records storage. The group refers to the police station as “an asset to the community” and recommends against getting rid of it.
The building has come through its 45 years of service in fairly good shape, officials said. “We did a code review and facilities analysis,” O'Maley said. “It is well-built and well-designed.”
Still, it needs work. The Facilities Department study said the windows need to be replaced, the lobby needs major repairs, the air circulation system needs an overhaul and the entire building needs to be tested for lead-based paint and asbestos building materials.
The building has nearly 46,000 square feet of space. but only 29,000 square feet is considered appropriate for offices. The special committee says city departments that currently rent quarters elsewhere could move in, while the space considered unusable, including the firing range, cell blocks and open areas, can be converted for storage.
The city's Health Department and information technology operations are seen as the most likely candidates to move to Chestnut Street should the city keep the police station.
Harvey Construction put the price tag on converting for the Health Department at close to $7 million, and the cost of renovating for information technology and office space at $5 million.
O'Maley is currently preparing a solicitation for the space needs study. The budget passed by aldermen this month provides $55,000 to keep the building secure while a decision about its future is made.
“At the end of the day, it is really the aldermen's decision,” O'Maley said.
wsmith@unionleader.com