Council considers $9.5 million lease for police

[Guest guest]

Council considers $9.5 million lease for police

RICHMOND: Unsafe conditions at Hall of Justice prompt proposal

By Geluardi

CONTRA COSTA TIMES, CA

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/16272408.htm

The Richmond City Council will consider spending a minimum of $9.5

million to temporarily house the Police Department until a new

public safety building is built.

The 57-year-old Hall of Justice Building, which currently houses the

department, is unsafe because of mold infestation due to excessive

water intrusion, according to an April report. The building also was

determined to be seismically unsafe in 1992.

City staff is recommending that the council tonight approve a lease

for a 55,000-square-foot space in the DiCon Fiberoptics building at

1689 Regatta Blvd. in the southern part of the city. The lease would

be for three years with options for five more.

Councilman Marquez, who is chairman of the Public Safety

Committee, said the Hall of Justice Building is in terrible shape,

and police employees should not be expected to work among mold and

water-stained carpets, walls and ceiling tiles. In addition, the

basement, where evidence is stored, regularly floods with up to a

foot of groundwater.

" I think the move is a good idea, " Marquez said. " I think staff has

worked out a good contract, and I see no reason to keep police

employees in that building. A safe working environment is the most

important thing. "

Councilman Tom Butt, an architect who specializes in building

renovation, has been challenging the mold reports as inadequate and

exaggerated. With some repairs, the building could be habitable

until the new public safety building is constructed, Butt said.

" A careful reading of all the reports does not support the fact that

there is a pervasive and unhealthy mold contamination in the

building that precludes continued occupancy, " he said. " I think they

ought to stay in that building. "

The city Redevelopment Agency expects to lease the space for a

minimum of five years until the Police Department can move into the

new, $40 million public safety building, which is planned for

Barrett Avenue and 25th Street.

But uncertain financing has caused the city to delay groundbreaking

indefinitely on that project, which could extend the DiCon lease for

years.

If the council approves the lease, the city will pay $81,000 a month

for the first year, with regular increases each year thereafter. The

city also will spend $2.9 million to modify the building so it is

suitable for police use.

Taxpayers would pay $9.5 million for the five-year lease, including

moving costs, taxes, insurance and maintenance fees. The expense is

an unexpected one for the city, which already was scaling back

critical road repairs to save money.

The lease would be retroactive to Dec. 1, and the department would

be phased into the DiCon building over the next several months.

Police employees have been working in substandard conditions for

years. The mold infestation first came to light in April with

completion of a report by MACS Lab Inc.

The police department is budgeted at $44.6 million for 2006-07,

making it the most expensive department in the city. The fire

department is a distant second at $23.5 million.

Reach Geluardi at 510-262-2787 or at jgeluardi@....