Editor's Note: See 1C for a look at the long history of debate surrounding Poplar Bluff's city halls.
By DONNA FARLEY
Staff Writer
Just under 30,000 square feet of Northwest Medical Center will be available for renovation immediately after Poplar Bluff officials close on the purchase of the Barron Road building.
City court could relocate as soon as renovations to a basement space allow, but may need to move again, according to officials.
City council members are expected to vote Monday on a contract with an updated closing date of mid-February, said city manager Mark Massingham. A purchase price of $3.495 million has been negotiated.
Approximately 50,000 square feet of the building can remain occupied by current tenants for up to six months after the closing.
City court would move onto a floor originally planned for use by the police department.
No final decision has been made regarding whether the court would stay or relocate later, Massingham said.
Tenants currently occupy space on all three of the building's floors.
City renovations would occur around these tenants, who may leave in stages, according to Massingham. No definitive dates have been set for these tenants to leave, he said.
Removing the last of the city's operations from its Second Street complex would be the top priority after the purchase, said Massingham.
City court employees are the only ones still working in the building, which also holds city council chambers.
The council chambers may move into space on the top floor of Northwest, Massingham said.
No formal renovation budget or plans have been released, although a figure of almost $5.6 million has been discussed. Earlier estimates involved a more extensive renovation of the 26-year-old building than may be needed, according to Massingham.
"I don't see us having to go in and gut the entire building," said Massingham. "I think there are areas where we could go in and just put in a few walls. A lot of it is just office space," he said.
It will likely take longer to move the police department from a rented location on Poplar Street and city hall offices from rented space on Vine Street.
Both would require space currently occupied by tenants. The city expects to collect in excess of $100,000 in rent from the tenants who remain.
Plans are to have structural and environmental inspections, including the heating and cooling system, done before closing, officials have said.
No changes have been made at this time, Massingham said, regarding a move of Municipal Utilities from its current location to a building on Sunset Drive. The building is currently owned by First Missouri State Bank, which is constructing a new location.
Early drafts of renovations for Northwest included the utility department, however the department has entered a contract to purchase the 30-year-old Sunset Drive building. Closing on the bank purchase is expected in 2018.
Other early discussions of Northwest included upgrades for Barron Road, which does not have sidewalks or shoulders in this area.
"It is a heavily traveled street, but I think it has been for decades," Massingham said. "MoDOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) is doing traffic counts for us now."
City hall will likely have 20-30 cars daily in the parking lot, compared to about 90 for the medical clinic on a recent day, according to Massingham.
City court is only held four times a month, he added.
Daily dockets with about 150 defendants have been seen in recent years by the court.
Massingham also believes police cars entering and exiting the site will not be a problem, because units are usually deployed within individual zones during patrol.
It could be less expensive to demolish the former Second Street complex than earlier estimates, he continued. Costs to remove the buildings could be about $400,000, before expenses related to asbestos abatement, he said.
The city received a verbal rough estimate from a contractor, Massingham said. Bids would have to be taken for the project, which could have additional costs to tear down the Oak Street parking garage.
The city has begun the process to secure $8 million in financing for the project.
The owners of Northwest and the percentage owned (approximate) are: Focus Bank, 29.78 percent; Physicians Realty Group, 14.62 percent; Pediatric Properties, 13.43 percent; Sivaprasad Madduri, 10.65 percent; Porter Smith and Peter Paulus, 6.26 percent; John Patty, 5.30 percent; Juergen Bertram, 4.79 percent; Eighty-Two, LLC, 4.23 percent; St. Francis Hospital, 4.17 percent; Carl Patty, 2.84 percent; Ray Peters, 2.3 percent; and Great Southern Bank, 1.63 percent.
The registered agent of Physicians Realty Group is F. Michael Caldwell, according to documents filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office.
The registered agent for Eighty-Two LLC is Clinton D. Summers Jr.
The officers and board of directors of Pediatric Properties are Derry Dye, Claudia Preuschoff, Martha Margreiter, and Debra Robertson.
Focus Bank has more than 30 registered officers, including president Don Burnett, secretary Mary Burnett and vice presidents, Brent Martin, Darrell Ray and Barry Ladd.