JAMES CITY — County officials are expected to report back to the Board of Supervisors on plans to build a new government center later this year or early next year, after which the board will decide whether to proceed with the project or drop it altogether.
But for now, county officials are continuing to gather public input on the proposed project, Deputy County Administrator Brad Reinheimer said.
The county has been discussing the need for a new government center to consolidate county services for the past few years. Last week, the county held a public information session to discuss the project, but Reinheimer said the project is still in the early stages of the design process.
While there are no exact estimates, the new center could cost between $80 million and $150 million to build, Reinheimer said. The money would come from the county's capital improvement projects budget. He also said the county would likely borrow money for the project.
The center would be approximately 160,000 to 190,000 square feet, with an additional 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of space for school administration. The complex would be located near the county recreation center.
Reinheimer stressed that because the project is still in the early stages and not fully approved, it's unclear what the numbers will be, and rising costs are also a factor — the price difference between building a new center and expanding an existing facility isn't as big as he thought it would be.
Reinheimer said the current layout of the government center is confusing for residents because multiple buildings house different services, with some services spread across town. Additionally, the current building used as the government center was built in the 1970s and faces rising maintenance costs.
Consolidating services into one central location will improve efficiency as the county's needs grow with its growing population.
Reinheimer said all facilities currently located at the Mounts Bay Government Center will be located in the new center, which will bring together the fire marshal's office, parks and recreation department, human services department and the county emergency operations center in one location.
The county is currently contracted with Henderson through the Henderson Gilbane joint venture for a 30 percent design, a very basic initial design to help the board visualize what services would be located at the center and how it could meet growing needs as the county grows.
Reinheimer said the design doesn't include exact floor plans, but will give the board a good idea of what it will look like.
Reinheimer said the county hasn't committed to anything at this point beyond the 30 percent design agreement that expires in October. He said he hopes to present information to the Board of Supervisors at the end of the year, at which point the board could decide whether to approve construction of the new center, move forward with more detailed design or kill the project altogether.
Recently, the county began seeking more input from local residents and held an information session on May 23rd.
So far, people seem to understand the need for the center, but some are skeptical about the cost, Reinheimer said, but he thinks as more information becomes available, people will be convinced of the need for the building.
“James City County is a community of choice. People move here because it's a great community with great amenities and first-class services. This agreement helps us continue to provide that in the future as the county continues to grow,” Reinheimer said.
Residents can submit comments online at jamescitycountyva.gov/4082, by email at jccgovcenter@jamescitycountyva.gov, by phone at 757-259-4004 or by mail to James City County, ATTN: Brad Rinehimer, PO Box 8784, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8784.
Sam Schaffer, samuel.schaffer@virginiamedia.com
