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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown Hall Space Study 12/01/96 - AV TOWN OF SOUTHOLD TOWN HALL SPACE STUDY December 1, 1996 Albrecht, Viggiano, Zureck & Company, P.C. Certified Public Accountants Attachment # 1 ..' ALBRECHT, VIGGIANO, ZURECK & COMPANY, P.C. CERTIFIED PUBlIC ACCOUNTANTS 25 SUFFOLK COURT HAUPPAUGE. NY 11788 (515) 434-9500 January 20, 1997 Southold Town Board Town Hall 53095 Main Road Southold, New York 11971 Dear Board Members: We have completed our analysis of Southold Town's need for additional space for Town Hall. This report sets forth the objectives and procedures performed, the individuals interviewed, the information obtained, the documents reviewed, and our findings and recommendations. OBJECTIVES AND PROCEDURES I. NEEDS ANAL YSIS In order to determine the need for additional space, as well as the extent of such needs, we performed the following procedures: · Developed and submitted questionnaires to each Department Head in Town Hall, as exhibited in Appendix 1 · Reviewed responses to questionnaires · Interviewed a representative of each department · Physically inspected each office and storage space · Walked through the Assembly Hall and Town Hall parking lot · Reviewed current floor plans of Town Hall .. Southold'Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 2 II. COST ANAL YSIS In order to determine the most effective alternative to meeting the needs of Southold Town (the Town), we considered the following options: · Rent and rehabilitate additional space · Acquire property and rehabilitate the building · Build to suit on additional land We discussed the availability and costs of these options with local real estate agents. INDIVIDUALS INTERVIEWED The following interviews were conducted in connection with this project: DEPARTMENT Accounting Historian Town Clerk Supervisor Town Attorney Tax Receiver Zoning Board of Appeals Justice Court Tax Assessors Building Department Planning Board Trustees Community Development REPRESENTATIVE John Cushman, Senior Accountant Antonia Booth, Historian Judith Terry, Town Clerk Jean Cochran, Supervisor Laury Dowd, Attorney Dorothy Pfalzer, Clerk Linda Kowalski, Board Secretary Rudolph Bruer, Judge Scott Russell, Assessor Thomas Fisher, Department Head Valerie Scopaz, Town Planner Jill Doherty, Clerk James McMahon, Director DOCUMENTS REVIEWED The following documents were reviewed in connection with this project: 1. New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code 2. Americans with Disabilities Act 3, McKinney's New York Rules of Court, State and Federal, 1995 Edition 4. Southold Town Hall Market Value Appraisal, dated May 17,1996, Abatelli Realty 5, Southold Code Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 3 FINDINGS The following sets forth our understanding of the needs of each department within Town Hall: Accountina The Accounting Department currently shares space with Central Data Processing in the lower level of Town Hall. The mainframe computer, printer and computer desk with a console keyboard and chair are located outside the Men's Room for lack of space. The entrance to the Men's Room is not a full door; only a partial swing door separates the areas. This is in violation of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Nothing should be located in the vestibule of a restroom, and the restroom should be provided with a full-height door. Accounting records, which must be maintained for a minimum of seven years, are stored in two rooms in the lower level. In addition, there is a bursting machine and a decolator in a storage room. The combined space occupied by the computer equipment and records storage approximate 500 square feet. The Accounting Department currently consists of three full-time people and one part-time person. The Senior Accountant indicated another part-timer is needed, however, and the two part-timers could take shifts occupying one desk. Therefore, four desks are required in Accounting. In addition, the Senior Accountant should have his own office with a door, so that confidential conferences can be held when necessary. The Data Processing Department requires two desks and currently occupies approximately 250 square feet. While this department should be separated from Accounting, they should both have convenient access to the computer equipment and supplies. The combined space shared by Accounting and Data Processing approximates 950 square feet in the lower level. The wall separating their area from the Historian's is only a partition, so conversations are not private. Historian The Town Historian currently occupies approximately 180 square feet on the lower level and stores permanent records in a separate room. The office space is adequate for the desk, table, chairs and book shelves required. However, the Historian is visited by the public, mostly elderly and in poor health. This is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Therefore, this department should be located on the main level of Town Hall with wheelchair access. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 4 FINDINGS (continued) Historian (continued) Original Town records are maintained in a humid storage room in the basement. Old atlases require larger shelving than currently available. Furthermore, as the number of residents in Southold increases, the storage space needs to be increased proportionately, and access to such records should be more convenient to the public, Town Clerk The Town Clerk's Department is on the main level and consists of five full-time people and one part-time person. The head of this department has a separate 300 square foot office, which is sufficient for her needs. However, the staff occupies 900 square feet in an outer room with five desks, 24 file cabinets, a printer, a photocopy machine, a small vault and counter space for public access. This is inadequate. The Town Clerk's Department has storage space on the lower level for permanent records and a dumb-waiter for large record books to be brought from one level to another. The small vault on the main level is necessary for minutes of current Town Board meetings and current birth, death, health and highway records, as well as petty cash. Since all records must be maintained in the proper temperature humidity levels. Certain records must be kept forever; the current storage space is inappropriate. SUDervisor The Supervisor's Department currently occupies 466 square feet on the main level in addition to approximately 80 square feet of storage on the lower level. The department consists of three full-time people and one part-time person. The Supervisor's office is approximately 196 square feet and the outer office is approximately 270 square feet. The Supervisor requires a separate office with a desk and a three-foot diameter table with four chairs so that a small group of people can hold a private meeting, Currently, only three people can conference in her office; an additional 50 square feet of space is needed for the Supervisor's office. The outer office consists of three desks, two printers, one fax machine and a public chair. This space is not adequate for the visiting public. There should be a separate waiting area for the general public, and a locked partition between the Supervisor's office and any agitated, hostile or disturbed visitors. There is currently no back door for the Supervisor to be able to vacate a dangerous situation, The outer office is also shared by the Town Board and the Town Attorney, who shares a full-time secretary with the Supervisor. The four members of the Town Board frequently require desks, phones and secretarial help; they should have access to a private office with at least two desks. In addition, the fax machine is shared by everyone in Town Hall; this is disruptive to the Supervisor's Department and presents confidentiality problems. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 5 FINDINGS (continued) Suoervisor (continued) There is currently only one large meeting room near the Supervisor's office. Due to the frequency of meetings (i.e. the Planning Board, the Zoning Board, the Task Force) and conflicts, an additional large conference room is needed; this would require at least an additional 280 square feet. The Supervisor's Department presently uses a closet to keep a coffee machine and a small refrigerator. Since there are occasions when coffee and tea needs to be served, a small kitchenette is needed for public relations, Town Attornev The Town Attorney's office currently occupies 300 square feet on the main level and approximately 30 square feet of storage space on the lower level of Town Hall, In addition, the Town Investigator has a desk in the Planning Department for lack of space. Since the Town Investigator is part of the Town Attorney's Department, the two should be together. The Town Attorney requires approximately 40 to 50 running feet of book shelves in her office for reference material. Since the Attorney's office is not large enough, she presently uses the Supervisor's Department and the large meeting room located nearby. Security concerns, similar to those of the Supervisor, are also an issue in the Town Attorney's Department. Any agitated or hostile visitors currently disrupt the outer office shared with the Supervisor, and there is no means of egress for the Town Attorney to escape a dangerous situation. The additional meeting room required by the Supervisor's Department is also required by the Town Attorney for depositions which may be attended by eight people. Zonina Board of ADoeals The Zoning Board currently occupies approximately 336 square feet on the main level of Town Hall and 83 cubic feet of space for storage on the lower level. The Chairman of the Board needs a desk when he works at Town Hall; he currently uses a large table. This table is required to review large maps. The Board Secretary, who also acts as the Office Manager, has a desk on a full-time basis. Two part-timers share a second desk on alternate days. The six members of the Board frequently meet in the office to prepare for board meetings. Since the large table is against a wall for lack of space, the current space is inadequate for reviewing maps and large-scale drawings. In addition, the general public and attorneys come to the office on a daily basis to look at the active files. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, the active files should be in a separate room at a table with a chair and a telephone. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 6 FINDINGS (continued) Zonina Board of Aooea/s (continued) The Zoning Board meetings are required to be taped and transcribed, Currently, the office holds a transcriber, a taping machine, cameras and film for such purpose. This equipment is needed on a daily basis and, therefore, cannot be maintained elsewhere. In addition, the office requires a printer, 15 filing cabinets and bookshelves for copies of minute books. Files must be maintained forever; currently, the storage room on the lower level holds 30 years of files and the office holds approximately seven years. Furthermore, seven sets of files are needed for other agencies, and these are sometimes in the office as well. The office space is not adequate for the needs of the Zoning Board. Justice Court Two judges, five full-time clerks and one part-time clerk currently occupy a modular attachment to Town Hall. Each judge's chamber is 180 square feet. The clerks occupy an area of approximately 575 square feet. A conference room is 310 square feet and a small lobby is approximately 85 square feet. In addition, there is storage space on the lower level equivalent to approximately 575 square feet. New York State Rules of Court require a conference room to provide a minimum of 20 square feet per person. The current conference room is therefore adequate for 15 people, which may occur in multi-family cases when the District Attorney, the Judge, the clerk, the police, the defendant and his family are present. However, the current room also holds a desk and filing cabinets which would need to be moved elsewhere. Furthermore, the conference room acts as a throughway between the courtroom and the judges' and clerks' offices; this room should be private and secure. New York State rules of Court require the Judge's Chamber to be a minimum of 200 square feet. The Judge's Chamber is used for weddings and conferences with attorneys. Therefore, each judge requires an additional 20 square feet. The small lobby which serves as the public waiting room is not large enough for the number of people that can occupy it, nor is it adequately secured from the Justice Court Clerks, the Judges or confidential records, such as warrants, Separate public male and female restrooms should be accessible without causing security problems. Currently, the public must either pass through the Justice Department's office space or Town Hall in order to access the restrooms. Since the Justice Department can hold a large amount of bail money in the form of cash and certified checks, and the Tax Receiver can collect a large amount of tax money at certain times of year, these areas should be secure and inaccessible to defendants. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 7 FINDINGS (continued) Justice Court (continued) The Justice Department should also have a supply closet for its letterhead, a coat room for the public and a kitchenette to serve coffee to the affiliates of the Judicial System. Currently, official letterhead is accessible to the defendants passing between the courtroom and the conference room, and one of the restrooms is used as a kitchenette. This is in violation of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Court is held every Friday in the Assembly Room. Jury trials require three days; these must be scheduled around the Friday court calendar, felony exams and Zoning Board meetings. Felony examinations must be held immediately when prisoners are to be released. Furthermore, in August, 1995, the Village of Greenport terminated their Justice Court, and the Town of Southold was required to hear Greenport's cases. The Justice Department needs a separate courtroom for its increasing caseload. The current Assembly Hall can only seat about 100 people, but there can easily be 200 people at one time. The court calendar has had as many as 232 cases on it for one day, If Town Hall does not add a separate courtroom in the near future, cases may be dismissed. Tax Assessors The Tax Assessors Department is located on the main level of Town Hall and consists of three assessors, one assistant, one clerk and two part-time people. The three assessors each have separate offices which double as semi-conference rooms to meet with families. The largest office is 143 square feet; the other two offices are 132 and 90 square feet, respectively. While the offices are large enough for the desks, filing cabinets and book shelves needed, they are not large enough to seat families and review maps. In addition, each office is separated by partitions, rather than real walls, which is not conducive to private conversations. A part-time map expert currently occupies 144 square feet in the map room. The map room contains a drafting table, maps and filing cabinets for deeds and property record cards. Property files need to be available in perpetuity for public inspection. Certain maps are boxed and stored on the lower level of Town Hall, but these should be accessible to the general public. Therefore, a larger map room is needed. The outer office of the Tax Assessors Department occupies 340 square feet for the assistant, clerk and part-timers. There are three desks, a photocopy machine, a microfilm reader, a table to display assessors rolls and a nine-feet long cabinet to store the assessors rolls. There is a counter on top of the long cabinet so that the assessors can display the rolls to the public at a window. During the "grievance" period, which begins on the third Tuesday in May and ends on the first day of July, the public spills out into the hall for lack of space. The Assessors Department needs a secure lobby for such purpose, because the current window and countertop are not adequate. Southold Town Board January 20,1997 Page 8 FINDINGS (continued) Tax Assessors (continued) In addition, the Board of Assessment reviews the Town Assessors during the grievance period. The five members of the Board and a secretary use the office space in the Assessors Department for six weeks. If the department had a conference room with a table large enough to seat six or eight people, it could be used for the Board of Assessment Review, as well as meetings during the rest of the year. Buildina Deoartment The Building Department occupies approximately 650 square feet of office space on the main level of Town Hall and approximately 170 square feet of storage space on the lower level. The department consists of three inspectors, two secretaries and one part-time clerk. The department head occupies an inner office which is approximately 150 square feet. The 500 square-foot outer office is used by the other departmental personnel, as well as the Town Inspector. The Town Inspector's desk and filing cabinets should be located near the Town Attorney's office, as previously discussed. The current square footage occupied by the Building Department does not provide adequate space for the general public, real estate agents, architects, engineers and construction contractors that need to review the files, plans and permit lists. Furthermore, the storage space is insufficient for the plans and files that need to be maintained by law. Some towns have a full-time fire inspector and a plan reviewer; the Town of Southold should also have these personnel. In addition, the department needs another building inspector and another secretary. There is no room to presently meet these growing needs. P/annina Board The Planning Office currently occupies a divided space on the main level of Town Hall. The secretary/receptionist sits at a desk in one 204 square-foot room with ten filing cabinets, a typing cart, a computer terminal, a printer and a fax machine. In addition, there is another desk in this reception room which is used by a council member not associated with the Planning Board. This room is not adequate for its current use; passageways do not meet minimum required access widths. This is in violation of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, A second room is occupied by the Town Planner, two full-time assistants and a summer intern, This 358 square-foot room, which is down the hall from the receptionist, contains three desks, a small drafting table, a computer desk, a large filing cabinet for maps, three smaller filing cabinets and ten book shelves. Currently, the Town Planner sits next to the map filing cabinet, which is frequented by the Building Department. The Town Planner needs a separate office for confidential meetings and telephone calls. In addition, three more filing cabinets are needed, but there is insufficient space, Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 9 FINDINGS (continued) P/annina Board (continued) The Planning Office works with subdivision and site plan blueprints. There is no room for a full- size drafting table. The staff often uses the floor to spread out blueprints. There is no room for a blueprint machine; currently, the Planning Board pays an outside printer, Geographic data needs to be printed on a separate machine; this function is also performed outside Town Hall for lack of space. There should be a separate drafting room in order to examine more than one plan at a time without disturbing the other staff. In addition, the Architectural Review and Landmark Review staff frequent the Planning Office. There is currently no room for them on a daily basis. There is also no room for the staff to meet with applicants, spread out maps and review files. There should be a conference room in the Planning Office with a table large enough for visitors to review files. Trustees The Trustees currently share space with Community Development on the lower level of Town Hall. Two clerks and the Community Development Director share a 420 square-foot room, which contains three desks, a table and ten filing cabinets. The table is necessary for the public to review files and for the five board members to use on a part-time basis. It would be more convenient for the public if the Trustees' Office was located on the main level. The Trustees also use the Boiler Room to keep minute books and applicant files. These need to be kept in perpetuity, but they are currently subject to water damage and create a fire hazard. This is in violation of New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Other documents, which need to be kept for seven years, are in boxes in a storage room on the lower level. The storage space is inadequate. Community Deve/ooment The Director shares one of the Trustees' clerks as a typisUsecretary. Community Development also shares the table used by the Trustees. Community Development housing work is currently done by a not-for-profit organization, since there is no staff. At present, there is no room for the public to sit in private to discuss projects or to fill out applications. Community Development also needs more room for map files, more filing cabinets and a work table. Their office should be on the main level, since the lower level of Town Hall is difficult for some elderly clients to access. This is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 10 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Southold's Town Hall is currently in violation of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as Federal and State Rules of Court and local codes. The Town needs to expand the existing Town Hall (see Appendix II), In order to accomplish this, the Board has the following options: The first option is to purchase The Church of the Open Door property, which is located on approximately five acres in Southold. Its three levels encompass an estimated 16,000 square feet. The building was completed in 1987 and complies with ADA. The lower level is above ground and is entered from the parking lot. The main floor is entered by stairs or ramp. There is an elevator between these levels. The third level is smaller and should only be used for storage. Each of the first two levels is approximately 7,200 square feet and includes male and female restrooms. The ground floor has a full kitchen, and the first floor has a kitchenette, There is a large meeting hall on the first floor with an occupancy maximum of 475 people. The land could accommodate a large parking lot. The property is on the market for $950,000 and rehabilitation costs would be minimal. However, there are two disadvantages: (1) the current two-year lease to a Town school district; and (2) the location away from the center of Town. A second option would be to acquire the Peconic Lane Elementary School property. This property will be vacated by the school district by January 1999 and is attractive for the following reasons: · The Peconic Lane Elementary School property is adjacent to the Town's Recreation Department. This allows for consolidation of Town departments and connection of the properties. The Recreation Department's building style can be rehabilitated to conform to the same architectural style as the Peconic Lane Elementary School, and the parking lot can be expanded to provide space for Town Hall. · The architectural style of the main school building is suitable for Town Hall; the ·portables· can be brick veneered, · The property is available for sale at approximately $700,000 and rehabilitation of the main building would be minimal. The 1938 building has new windows and needs only minor roof repairs, a wheelchair ramp, and air conditioning. · The main building is 7,300 square feet on 4.2 acres of land. There are four main classrooms, which are approximately 750 square feet each, and can readily be utilized by certain departments. The portables total approximately 9,000 square feet; one of these modular buildings holds a 1,500 square foot meeting room, which can be rehabilitated for the Justice Court. Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 11 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued) . The building can be expanded if the portables are not utilized. A local architect indicated that an additional 10,000 square feet would cost an estimated $1.5 million. Furthermore, the land could accommodate a large parking lot. A third option would be to acquire the adjacent property, which is owned by Mr. Stankevich, and, thereby expand Town Hall's existing location. This property is currently for rent and vacant. At one time, Mr. Stankevich offered the property for sale at approximately $400,000; this is higher than market value, according to local real estate agents. The Town, however, could acquire the property by the law of eminent domain. If the above-referenced properties are not acquired, the Town should consider relocating certain departments out of Town Hall. Currently, the Town Engineer and the Recreation Department are off-site. The District Attorney's Office, which rents space in the basement of Town Hall, should consider an alternative which would allow its present 600 square feet to be utilized by the Town. Furthermore, the Justice Court could move to another location and thereby allow the other departments to expand within Town Hall. There are 2.4 acres of land available to build on the corner of Horton Lane and the North Road. The selling price of the property is $285,000. Construction costs are approximately $150 per square foot. If the Justice Court and offices were to relocate, this option would cost $600,000 in addition to the land acquisition cost. It appears that the least desirable option would be to build a second floor addition to the present Town Hall. Although possible, this option would be expensive, since the existing building is not structurally designed to accept a second floor. The parking count would have a determination on the size of any addition. However, on-street parking should be included. Based on the above Space Plan Study, the Town should request a proposal from an AlE (Architectural/Engineering) Team to perform a building study and evaluation report, The cost of such a report depends on the size, age, and condition of the building selected for Town Hall, but should range from $4,500 to $5,000, The Town should then execute an agreement to perform the engineering and architectural feasibility study and report to evaluate the building equipment and systems. The engineering firm would evaluate the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fire alarm, fire protection, plumbing, electrical power and distribution systems, The architect performs a building construction review of the building components, including structural members and systems, windows, walls, roofs, floors, finishes and insulation characteristics. The AlE Team determines what equipment and systems can be reused and what must be newly provided, Construction budget estimates are then prepared which substantiate the recommendation of the AlE Team. l , I I I I ~n Southold Town Board January 20, 1997 Page 12 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (continued) The Town then makes a selection from the NE Team's recommendations and decides a course of action. The NE Team designs building improvements and prepares contract documents for construction. The project is then bid to contractors and a contract is awarded, As construction is performed, it is monitored by the NE Team until the project is complete. Very truly yours, rp/-a..r;J William A. Klein, Jr. Ity 1 Appendix II Town of South old Departmental Spate Requirements CURRENT DEPARTMENT OFFICE STORAGE RE{}UlREMENT AccountinglEDP 950 sq. ft. 500 sq. ft. 1,600 sq. ft. Historian 180 200 500 ToWD Clerk 1,200 1,950 4,000 Supervisor 466 80 900 ToWD Attorney 400 26 600 Zoning Board 336 83 800 Justice Offices 1,100 575 2,000 Justice Court 1,150 .0- 1,500 Tax Assessors 920 300 1,500 Building Dept. 650 170 1,000 Planning 562 170 1,000 Trustees/Community Dev. 420 100 600 Total 8.334 sq. ft. 4.154 sq. ft. 16.000 sq. ft.