Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities And Capital Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners direct staff to explore sale of downtown bank building, authorize CAB remodel study
Summary
Pennington County commissioners voted to ask staff to explore selling the county-owned First Street bank building and adjacent lots and to begin a phased remodel assessment for the County Administration Building after a presentation on facilities, staffing and long-term space needs.
Pennington County commissioners on July 15 directed staff to explore the potential sale of a county-owned building at 14 Saint Joseph Street (the former bank) and several adjacent parcels, and authorized a staff-led assessment and phased remodel plan for the County Administration Building (CAB).
The actions followed a 45-minute presentation by Davis Purcell, director of Buildings and Grounds, who reviewed staffing projections, building space allocations and a draft consolidation plan that would relocate several departments into the new Concourse administration building and reuse space in CAB. Purcell told commissioners, “I can tell you confidently that that building will hold up for decades” when referring to the Concourse building’s ability to house relocated departments.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the county must align its footprint and operating costs with updated population and staffing projections and with recent capital investments such as the Concourse purchase. Selling the bank and nearby lots could generate proceeds to offset county projects, while a CAB remodel would let the county reuse existing space rather than lease outside properties.
What commissioners approved: The board voted to direct staff to (1) explore sale of the bank at 14 Saint Joseph Street; (2) evaluate possible sale of county-owned parcels at 516 Fourth Street, the Buildings & Grounds shop at 517 Third Street and related adjacent lots; and (3) proceed with the presented assessment and begin planning a phased remodel of CAB. Each motion passed with an affirmative vote.
Details and costs: Purcell’s presentation included purchase and investment figures: the bank building purchase price totaled about $5,000,000 (building plus two adjacent lots), and Concourse improvements since acquisition were estimated at $9–10 million; additional roof and lot repairs were estimated at roughly $2 million within a two‑year window. Purcell estimated an initial remodel cost for CAB in the range of $1,000,000 to $2,500,000, with substantial variability depending on scope.
Next steps: Staff will return with more detailed financial analyses and design options, including potential phasing tied to department moves (Buildings & Grounds, Records, civil/warrants, Public Defenders and others). Several commissioners asked for continued outreach to department leaders and for public transparency on any sale terms.
Context: Purcell’s presentation reviewed a prior consultant study (BKB) and cited updated population and staffing projections; commissioners repeatedly referenced the county’s need to reconcile earlier long‑range forecasts with current enrollment, FTE counts and recent acquisitions.
