County space‑utilization study recommends consolidation, targets leased‑space reductions through 2038

Department of General Services staff presented a space‑utilization study that reviewed 15 administrative buildings and recommended consolidation strategies to reduce leased square footage over the next decade.

Samantha Cobb, director of General Services, and project staff said the study analyzed 321,880 square feet and 1,243 individual workspaces across the county portfolio, with 1,211 staff assigned to those spaces. "The County has assigned about 97% of available workspace," Cobb said, a utilization rate the presentation described as high compared with industry benchmarks.

As near‑term actions, staff proposed renovating the former armory (103) for Department of Fire and Rescue Services; "This will vacate about, 26,000 gross square footage. The lease is about $600,000 a year," Cobb said, and the project is funded at the concept level through capital project F5973. Other near‑term items include relocating the Board of Elections and developing shared flex training spaces to reduce duplicated program space currently leased elsewhere.

Longer‑term, staff outlined a strategy to reduce leased space toward 'virtually no leased square footage' by 2038, noting lease expirations in 2029 and 2030 for properties such as Burger Road, Riverwood, Broken Land and Oracle that create opportunities to consolidate. Council members asked for building‑level occupancy breakdowns and for staff to produce the slide deck and supporting documentation for follow‑up review.

Staff said consolidation could yield energy‑efficiency and maintenance savings and create co‑tenancy opportunities, but also cautioned that contractual lease obligations will limit how quickly tenants can be moved. The council requested additional data on per‑building staffing, the number of county employees who work remotely, and a general cost/benefit summary to guide decisions.

Next steps: staff will share the study materials and provide requested per‑building occupancy and lease information so the council can schedule a follow‑up discussion.