As municipal offices move into two Uptown buildings, the city is faced with finding another building to buy for the Martinsville Police Department.
It’s a “moving jigsaw” as Martinsville prepares for courthouse renovations, said City Manager Rob Fincher. Virginia is requiring the city to either renovate its courthouse or build a new one, which will cost the city an estimated $46 million. The current courthouse doesn’t meet state guidelines.
Plans for the courthouse suggest that the renovated courthouse be only used for that purpose, meaning all city services, offices and the council chambers have to move elsewhere.
The city is looking for a building to purchase for the police department because building one would be too expensive, Fincher said.
“We can’t do that. You know, we’ve got enough problems facing the $46 million,” Fincher said. “We’re still going to have to buy things … but I’m hoping we can do it a whole lot cheaper than trying to build new.”
The police department needs to be centrally located, so the police can respond quickly, Fincher said. Several properties in the Uptown area are being evaluated, he said.
“No one’s tried to price gouge us,” Fincher said. “In fact, they’re offering us deals at below market because they all have this desire to help out the city.”
Offices to be located in numerous places, at least for awhile
City council chambers and city departments will move to One Ellsworth and the Fidelity Bank building.
There were already plans to move council chambers and some city offices to One Ellsworth, a building in Uptown Martinsville that has been developed into apartments, commercial spaces and a rooftop event venue.
Human resources and community development began moving to One Ellsworth on Thursday, Fincher said. The city will stay in the building rent-free for 10 years and only had to purchase temporary walls for inside the building.
The city council unanimously authorized the $2.5 million purchase of the Fidelity Bank building during its Tuesday meeting. The city’s current tax assessment on the 2.3-acre property is $2.15 million.
The $2.5 million is not included in the expected $46 million courthouse renovation.
The building, which is located at 231 E. Church St., is across the street from One Ellsworth and will provide additional office space to the city.
“This is going to end up being a big win as time goes on because we can keep everyone together,” Fincher said.
No renovations will need to be done on the Fidelity Bank building.
“That was part of the allure,” Fincher said. “From what we can tell, it is in pristine condition.”
The city manager’s office, city attorney’s office and community engagement will be moved to Fidelity this week, Fincher said. They will be located on the fifth floor.
City services such as the treasurer’s office, utility billing and the commissioner of the revenue’s office will stay in the municipal building at 55 W. Church St. for now but will be moving.
The city plans to close on the bank building purchase — from owner Church Street Partners — by the end of the year and will pay rent until then.
There are four other companies currently located in the building, including Fidelity Bank on the first floor. Burton & Co. will move out of the third floor in the next six months, Fincher said, so the city will move into that floor, too. The other three companies will stay in the building and pay rent.
“If we’ve got to put the treasurer’s office, utility billing and the commissioner of revenue in a leased space for a while, then we’d be able to utilize that money that we’re receiving in rent to go towards rent for them,” Fincher said. Fincher said he can’t share yet how much the city will receive in rent.
The city will also have to temporarily find a location for the commonwealth’s attorney’s office and juvenile court services during courthouse construction, Fincher said. They will probably move into the Fidelity Bank building.
Courthouse fee shifted to help renovation costs
The city council unanimously authorized hiring a firm Tuesday that would fight on behalf of Martinsville in contract negotiations for the courthouse renovations. The city conducted a request for proposals process and awarded it to Skanska, a major project development and construction group based in Sweden.
The arrangement is currently in the 10-day period where it isn’t official, due to procurement law, Fincher said.
The firm’s main task is to make sure the courthouse renovations stay within the guidelines, under time and under budget, Fincher said.
Fincher said he doesn’t know how much the city will pay the firm yet, but the city expects Skanska to save more money than it is paid.
The city council was also going to consider establishing a $2 court fee on qualifying civil, criminal and traffic cases filed in Martinsville’s district and circuit courts — but then found out such an ordinance is already in place, just not being used to its fullest potential.
Revenue from that charge was previously being put into a fund and used for janitorial service and maintenance.
Now, Fincher said, it will be utilized for courthouse construction. That should generate a few hundred dollars a month, he said.
“It’s not overwhelming, like it’s going to generate millions of dollars in savings, but every little bit helps in this,” Fincher said.
