KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo County has big construction plans, beyond what they are doing to solve the housing crisis, and some of those plans are already drawing fire.
The county board recently got a look at a facilities master plan commissioned from a local architectural firm that projects out for the next 15 years.
Jared VanderWeele with Eckert Wordell says they began with a questionnaire to county departments of how they interact with the public now, and what their plans are for the future.
“Where do we see these needs landing in the next 5-10 fifteen years and what our facilities doing, do they have the ability to grow & expand and meet these challenges, or not.” says VanderWeele.
The 84-page report goes into some detail about the deficiencies and needs of current facilities, future requirements and possible solutions.
The list totals about $360-million in new construction and renovation, and includes a new administration building, more jail & juvenile home renovations, a new hazardous waste drop off center, and a new home for emergency management and other facility upgrades.
VanderWeele says the plan provides top-of-the-line facilities. It’s now up to the county board to decide what they can afford.
“One of the very next steps for any of these projects is to really align your budget and your real goals and make sure that you’re getting value out of those department’s growth needs.”
Prosecutor Jeff Getting objected to a proposal that would move the his office out of the new Justice Center downtown to make space for additional judges.
“I want you to know that I think that this is a terrible idea, It reflects a fundamental lack of understanding about what we do in the prosecutor’s office and the services we provide to the local community,” says Getting, adding his office deals with thousands of cases every year, providing victim supports and other services, and moving them from the Pratt Justice Center would be detrimental for everyone.
Vice chair John Taylor says they should have done a better job of planning to provide extra space in the $94 million courthouse.
“It was extremely short-sighted to keep that cap at $94 million and we’re paying for it now, we don’t wanna make that same mistake again.”
Spending $9 million to buy the McDonald’s on Kalamazoo Avenue to make room for the new $126-million administration building has already drawn criticism from advocates for the houseless, who say that money would be better spent on shelters.
County board chair Jen Strebs defends the project, saying it’s an investment in the community.
“It brings in construction jobs, and it seats county government, where its close to the services and to the people that need us. If we don’t do that sort of investment, we will watch the poverty rate continue to escalate. We can’t subsidize away poverty and suffering without creating economic opportunity.”
Right now the facilities master plan is just a foundational document, one that will be changed many times as funding, politics, changing priorities and reality dictates.
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