Columbia County announced that its new Building A on Ronald Reagan Drive is open and “fully operational,” but visitors should expect changed parking patterns and access while the county demolishes the old building. A county staff member said Building A now houses nearly 20 departments and is ready for visitors.

The staff member said the four-story Building A groups services by floor: the first floor contains the auditorium, 311, traffic control, stormwater, licensing and permitting, and code enforcement; the second floor houses engineering, road construction, property acquisition, building standards, planning and plan review; the third floor holds finance and human resources; and the fourth floor includes the board of commissioners, the county manager’s office, County Administration and Public Relations.

Parking will look different for the next few months, the staff member said. Visitors parking is available on both sides of Building A but the two lots do not connect, so motorists must exit the same way they entered. If those lots are full, visitors should park at Building B or Building C and use the sidewalk to reach Building A.

Crews are preparing to demolish the old Building A, and the staff member said Building B and the breezeway between buildings are closed, so there are no internal cut-throughs. Business Boulevard is blocked at the county parking lot, the staff member added, and people coming for business with the tax commissioner, tag office or board of assessors should use Faircloth Drive to enter and exit the parking lot.

“Even with ongoing construction, Building A is open and ready for visitors,” the staff member said. “But please be patient with us as we work through final touch ups, trim work, paint, and lighting.”

County officials did not announce any changes to service availability; the statement focused on physical access, signage and temporary closures as staff complete demolition and finishing work.