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Lexington City Council last Thursday took the first steps toward building a new facility for the Rockbridge Area Department of Social Services, unanimously approving an agreement with Radfordbased architectural and engineering firm Thompson & Litton to provide architectural and engineering services for the facility.
Council also unanimously approved a resolution for the city to reimburse itself for any upfront costs it may have to pay as the fiscal agent for the regional facility prior to the approval of any financing arrangement.
The building is to be located in Buena Vista behind the 911 central dispatching center at the intersection of U.S. 60 and Forge Road.
Thompson & Litton put together a proposal for the project, which included an estimated cost and timeline for completion of the project.
Based on the preliminary proposal, the project will cost $9.1 million in total. That cost will be divided between Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County.
The proposal also included a timeline for the project, with an estimated completion date of September 2025. The goal, based on the timeline presented, is to have a schematic design approved this November, secure the necessary permits throughout the first half of 2024 and to hopefully put the project out for bids by the end of July.
City Manager Jim Halasz, in his presentation of the proposal, noted that the proposal had been reviewed by himself, DSS Director Dinah Hupman, County Administrator Spencer Suter and Buena Vista City Manager Jason Tyree, all of whom agreed that it “meets our needs and a formal agreement should be entered into.”
Council member Nicholas Betts asked if there would be time between the end of the DSS’s lease on its current space and the completion of the project and Halasz said there would be.
The lease expires in March of 2025, about six months before the estimated completion date.
Halasz said that options on how to bridge the gap between the end of the lease and the opening of the new facility were being looked into, including potentially extending the lease or finding a temporary alternate location.
Vice Mayor Marilyn Alexander suggested possibly using trailers at or near the site of the new building, like the city had done during renovations at Waddell Elementary School. Halasz noted that that could be a solution, depending on the needs of the DSS and the space available.
Prior to the passing of the reimbursement resolution, Council member David Sigler asked how much cost the city could potentially have to pay up front. Halasz said that while he didn’t know for sure, it would “surprise [him]” if it were $100,000. The main fees that might potentially be required before financing is secured would be paid to Thompson & Litton for their services.
“This allows us to recover every dollar we spend, which is where we want to be,” Halasz said.
Sigler made the motions to approve both the reimbursement resolution and the agreement with Thompson & Litton.
Council member Leslie Straughan seconded the motion for the resolution and Betts provided the second for the motion regarding the agreement.
