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County moves to solicit buyers for two properties and presses plans to relocate BDC to Franklin Roberts site
Summary
The commission read resolutions to declare 317 Oak Street and 100 Cherokee Boulevard (the Business Development Center) surplus and to increase design funding for the Gateway/Franklin Roberts Career Technical and incubator project; staff discussed RFP plans, appraised values (317 Oak appraised at $4.1M), tenant protections, and large renovation costs that would displace BDC occupants.
Hamilton County leaders on April 15 advanced plans to solicit proposals for two county-owned properties and described a concurrent effort to relocate the county-run Business Development Center (BDC) into a new Gateway/Franklin Roberts facility.
Commissioner Shipley presented Resolution 526-9 to declare 317 Oak Street, jointly owned with the Hamilton County Department of Education, as surplus and to authorize an RFP process. Staff said the building had been appraised at $4.1 million and that, if sold, proceeds would be split with the school system. Property management and commissioners discussed preliminary renovation estimates the consultant described as starting around $5.5 million for minimum compliance work and potentially rising to $7.5–$8.5 million depending on finishes and ADA/HVAC fixes.
The commission then considered Resolution 526-10 to declare 100 Cherokee Boulevard (the 96-year-old Business Development Center, commonly called the Golden Gateway) surplus. County staff described substantial deferred-maintenance issues at the BDC — including roof, HVAC and masonry problems — and noted recent annual costs to the county for utilities and maintenance. Staff said that a full renovation would displace all tenants and that past investments (including an allocation of about $5.3 million two years earlier) had not resolved systemic infrastructure issues.
The mayor’s office and economic development staff described a vision to move the incubator program to the Gateway/Franklin Roberts site and to build a new, modern incubator and career-technical education space. Chamber representatives said they would collaborate on tenant transition planning; staff proposed tenant audits, lease-assumption or leaseback options for buyers, and potential subsidies to bridge tenants to new space.
Commissioners raised concerns about timing and communications — several said tenants and some commissioners learned about the plan through news reports and asked for more detailed feasibility analyses and clearer tenant protections. Staff emphasized the RFP would allow requirements to protect tenants, the RFP timeline could take many months, and staff would return with more specific relocation and financing details.
Commissioners also reviewed Resolution 526-11, which would authorize the county to increase its design contract with Tinkerma LLC by up to $2,586,565.44 to complete the Gateway/Franklin Roberts design. Staff said $2 million of the contract could be drawn down from a state allocation previously included in the governor’s budget with the remainder to be funded from bond proceeds. Commissioners asked staff to confirm funding sources and prior bond allocations and to provide cost and feasibility detail before further action.
No final vote to sell either property was recorded in the portion of the transcript provided; staff asked for time to return to committee and commission with more detailed analysis, tenant transition plans and accounting of prior bond funds.
