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County explores leasing or buying 1105 Santa Fe to house juvenile probation and JJEP programs
Summary
Officials and the listing broker described 1105 Santa Fe Drive as a potential immediate option for juvenile probation and JJEP operations. The building is listed at $3.4M, has 7,200 rentable sq ft available now, tenants with staggered leases, and renovation estimates that could push total costs to an estimated ~$4.3M. The court authorized Commissioner Hale and the county attorney to begin negotiations.
Parker County commissioners spent significant time on Aug. 25 discussing space needs for juvenile probation and the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJEP) and whether to lease or purchase 1105 Santa Fe Drive.
Ashley, representing juvenile probation, told the court that the JJEP budget for FY26 is flat at $564,693 but that an additional $750,000 request reflects a potential lease for suitable office and classroom space and about $35,000 in one-time repairs to roll into FY26. She described ongoing facility problems at the current JJEP location — since 2021 there have been 64 work orders, recurring sewage and electrical problems, and asbestos that complicates installing security or booster systems.
Listing broker Chase Johnson described the property as roughly 7,200 rentable square feet currently available (total building per appraisal 15,252 square feet) with about 85 parking spaces and nearly 3 acres of land. He said current tenants’ leases expire in April 2026, October 2026 and March 2027; the building is listed at $3,400,000 but the seller is negotiable and has received letters of intent from other buyers. Johnson provided a rent roll and lease documents to the court for review.
A preliminary contractor estimate for renovating the space — including replacing six HVAC split systems and ceiling grid, demo and new flooring — was discussed; the contractor estimated full renovation plus A/E fees could approach roughly $4.3 million in the scenario presented if the court required a full gut-and-buildout. The court noted that the county could offset some costs with current lease savings (eliminating the Willow Park lease of approximately $80,000/year), potential insurance/grant funds from the recent hail claim, and tenant rent revenue if parts of the building remain leased.
After discussion, the court voted to authorize Commissioner Hale and County Attorney John Forrest to enter negotiations with the realtor to explore buy or lease options and return with recommended terms. The court also asked staff to consider contingency funding options and to return firm cost numbers ahead of the Sept. 22 budget adoption timeline.
Next steps: Commissioner Hale and the county attorney will negotiate terms with the listing broker and return to the court with a proposed deal, timeline and budget impact analysis.
