Larimer County delays new office building; keeps existing space flexible and focuses on Justice Center

Larimer County commissioners were told Wednesday that an update to the county’s 2018 Facilities Master Plan shows the county does not need a new administrative office building in the short term and should hold existing space for flexible use while focusing capital on a planned Justice Center.

The recommendation came during a Jan. 15 work session in which county facilities staff and consultants from CRB Group presented the updated plan. The 2018 master plan originally identified roughly $600,000,000 in potential future capital investments; presenters said about one‑third of those recommendations already have been completed.

Ken Cooper, Larimer County facilities director, told the commissioners the pandemic changed where and how county staff work and that change reduced near‑term demand for traditional office space. "It's a lot of good news to share today," Cooper said, adding that most of the county’s outstanding capital need now centers on the Justice Center.

Consultant Sydney Hamilton of CRB Group summarized the study’s approach and findings. The team validated current headcount data (about 2,613 employees) and used a 1.9% annual compounded growth rate consistent with the 2018 methodology. CRB developed three planning scenarios: scenario 1 (status quo, everyone assigned a seat), scenario 2 (departments’ stated preferred hybrid/remote patterns), and scenario 3 (an industry‑informed “persona” model showing more aggressive seat sharing). Hamilton said the county can postpone building a second administrative building for now and should instead keep extra capacity available while monitoring the next 3–5 years.

The consultants presented seat‑availability projections that illustrate the difference between scenarios. In the near term, scenario 2 would leave roughly six extra desks across county facilities; scenario 3 would place about 63 people into non‑desk seats such as conference rooms. Over a 20‑year horizon the models show larger seat‑sharing demand (CRB presented figures of roughly 377 people in conference‑room seating under one long‑range run of scenario 2 and about 600 under scenario 3), underscoring that the county has bought time to adapt rather than face immediate new construction.

The update also documents completed projects recommended in 2018 — a new road and bridge building, elections space, community corrections upgrades and an expansion tied to alternatives for community justice — and identifies planned or in‑progress work for solid waste and emergency services. Chelsea Stramel, a planner with CRB, presented the gap analysis showing how projected space need differs by county function and by the three scenarios.

Commissioners and staff discussed short‑term options for extra office capacity. Ken Cooper and facilities staff noted the county’s purchase of the Cortina Building adjacent to the county complex as a near‑term option; the county attorney occupies part of that building but significant space remains available. Cooper said the county is intentionally keeping Cortina as a contingency depending on how Justice Center planning proceeds.

The consultants and staff emphasized the update is a planning tool rather than a mandate. Hamilton said scenario 2 captures what department leaders told consultants they want today; scenario 3 shows what further changes in workplace practice could yield. "We have determined that [a second admin building] is no longer required," Hamilton said, recommending the county maintain flexible space and revisit the question again in roughly three to five years.

Several commissioners asked about remote‑work culture, supervisory concerns and service delivery; county leaders said departments vary and that some groups (for example fleet and other site‑specific operations) still require assigned, on‑site space. Assistant County Manager Laurie Kadridge and facilities staff said the county will continue department‑level conversations and that the final report, including detailed department‑by‑department appendices, will be delivered this week.

The update leaves one major capital need — the county Justice Center expansion — as the board’s primary long‑range priority. Commissioners and staff said the Justice Center issue will likely require separate, more detailed study and public engagement before the county considers a voter measure or large bond financing.

The county will publish the final Facilities Master Plan update and accompanying exhibits for department-level details, headcount projections, and the scenario worksheets used by CRB.