AGENDA #13
to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
from: Bruce A. Heflin, Assistant Town Manager
subject: Information Regarding Uses of Post Office/Courthouse
date: June 27, 2007
Attached is information concerning the Post Office/Courthouse on Franklin Street. Included is a fact sheet about the property and its current uses and an analysis from Liz Parham, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership of the site and its current uses. Ms. Parham also discusses other possible uses of the site and poses some questions/issues for the Council’s consideration.
In recent months, both the Board of Orange County Commissioners and Kidzu Children’s Museum have inquired about possibly using the Post Office/Courthouse building and/or property (see Attachments 1 and 2). Town staff has discussed the requests with County staff and the Kidzu Board of Directors.
The Court facility is presently being used more extensively than in the recent past due to the transfer of some District Court operations from Hillsborough during the renovation of the County Courthouse.
We are also in the midst of a space utilization study that should be completed in the next few months. The study is analyzing Town-owned spaces and will make recommendations about space needs and allocating space, including those buildings the Town owns that are occupied by others. The Post Office/Courthouse is part of that study.
We are providing the attached information to help facilitate a discussion by the Council concerning possible alternative future uses of the property at 173 East Franklin Street.
Attachment 3 is a summary of information about the building and site and current occupants. Attachment 4 is a memorandum from Ms. Liz Parham, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership, that provides information about the building and its uses and possible future uses. Ms. Parham suggests an approach the Council could consider in evaluating the future role of the building. We requested Ms. Parham’s report in recognition of the Downtown Partnership’s role in providing the Council with advice and recommendations about downtown issues.
We suggest the Council review this material and provide us with whatever direction they deem appropriate.
1. Letter from Moses Cary (p. 3).
2. Petition from Kidzu (p. 5).
3. Fact sheets about 173 E. Franklin St. (p. 9).
4. Memorandum from Liz Parham (p. 12).