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Architect unveils plan to convert downtown building into new central office; estimated cost about $10 million
Summary
Architect Vern McKissick presented schematic plans to renovate a downtown property into a 32,500-square-foot Burke County Schools central office, including clerestories for daylighting, a training wing and retention of a food-prep kitchen; the project budget target cited was roughly $10 million and staff discussed a mid-2026 occupation timeline.
Architect Vern McKissick presented schematic designs for a planned central-office relocation into a downtown building at 305 West Union Street. McKissick said the building is roughly 32,500 square feet and that the approach reuses substantial existing structure rather than a complete teardown.
The proposed layout organizes public reception, a gallery for district displays and a layered suite of semi-public and private offices, with an HR and finance wing, open collaborative work areas, several conference rooms, and a training suite in what was formerly a drugstore/retail area. McKissick said the design adds three raised clerestory roof sections to introduce daylight to core interior areas and to screen rooftop HVAC equipment.
McKissick proposed retaining and reworking an existing food-prep kitchen at the rear of the building and discussed using that space as a possible teaching kitchen tied to district culinary/CTE programs. He described an exterior plan to reorient and slightly reduce the parking footprint with a new planting buffer at the street edge and estimated required parking at zoning levels (about 105 spaces) while noting typical daily demand would be lower.
On cost and schedule, McKissick presented a master project budget target in the neighborhood of $10,000,000 that includes site work, architectural fees, mechanical/electrical/plumbing and contingencies. He outlined a phased procurement and construction schedule that calls for select demolition and long-lead equipment procurement in spring, a main construction award in early summer, and a target occupancy tied to the end of the school year. He said coordination with current building tenants and city planning codes is underway.
Ending: Board members and staff discussed the project’s potential downtown benefits and asked for follow-up detail on finishes, acoustics and phasing; McKissick said designers will return with more detailed plans and cost refinements in the coming months.
