WORK SESSION  AGENDA REQUEST

Sponsor:

Board of Supervisors Meeting Date: 

Joe Winkelmann , Vice Chairman, Center District

April 21, 2003

Staff Lead:

Department: 

J. Randall Wheeler, Deputy County Administrator

County Administration

Topic: 

Discussion of Potential Reuse of the Shadowlawn and Parks and Recreation Administration Buildings  Located on Culpeper Street, Warrenton .

Topic Description:

Recently the Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services Board programs, which had been housed in the Shadow Lawn building, have been moved to the Warrenton Community Center, formerly Central Elementary School, along with the Central Region Program Office of the Parks and Recreation Department. At its last meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved the award of a contract for the renovation of the lower level of the 320 Hospital Hill Building into which the balance of the Parks and Recreation Department's administrative office is scheduled to move during the Summer of 2003.  These actions will result in both buildings becoming vacant. Previously, the Board of Supervisors had discussed the possibility of selling one or both of these buildings. Since the Board of Supervisors last discussed these properties two potential uses for these buildings have been identified. The first is the adaptation of the Shadow Lawn building for a historic resources library. The second is the movement of the County's economic development, tourism and agriculture development programs to the "Parks and Recreation Administration building".  With regard to the former, this would free up space in the main library while providing an opportunity to significantly upgrade its historic resources  offerings. With regard to the latter, it would move the programs out of rental space and provide more efficient office space given the recent addition of the tourism program to the Office of Economic Development and the desire to co-locate the Agriculture Development Office's part-time clerical support position with the Agricultural Development Officer.

Requested Action of the Board of Supervisors: 

Hold a work session and provide guidance to staff regarding whether or not the staff should proceed with preliminary planning and design efforts regarding either or both of the potential reuse options.

Financial Impacts Analysis:

The costs associated with the respective reuse options will be determined during the preliminary planning and design process.

Identify any other Departments, Organizations or Individuals that would be affected by this request:

 Library Board

Economic Development Office

Agricultural Development Office