Political

On Friday, May 17, 2019, six members of Greenville County Council unveiled a plan to relocate the County Office building rather than build a new building at the present County Square location.  The cost of the relocation of the County and State offices would be $63.9 million.   That is over $100 million less than the presently proposed redevelopment plan for County Square.

It is proposed that County Offices be moved to the former Fluor building at 350 /352 Halton Road. The price for purchase, upgrading and adding 10,000 square feet to the building would be $33.5 million.

To provide for the state offices of SCDOT, Health Department and Family Court, it was  proposed that the County buy one, two or three buildings for $30.4 million to house these offices.

Also given were ten reasons why Lynn Ballard, Mike Barnes, Ennis Fant, Willis Meadows, Xanthene Norris and Rick Roberts would vote next Tuesday night to cancel the present building plans and adopt the new proposal to relocate the County Office building. 

Please see my Facebook page for additional information:  https://www.facebook.com/WillisMeadowsCCDistrict19/

TEN REASONS WHY WE ARE VOTING TO STOP THE REDEVELOPMENT OF COUNTY SQUARE

1. There is a lack of transparency.

• Council members only told that the County Office building would cost $60,000,000
• Council members only told that the land at County Square would sell for $60,000,000 (later changed)
• No other details on cost of building
• Have not been told why the Office building will now cost $70,000,000
• Have not been told why the land, according to the administrator, is valued at $32,000,000
• Did not initially give the cost to move the SCDOT, Health Department and Family Court
• Did not reveal that there was an agreement to build and give to the City a $15,000,000 parking garage
• Did not reveal that the County was responsible for $36,000,000 for the installation of streets, sewer, water, traffic lights and landscaping.
• Did not reveal that any cost relating to additional traffic on City streets would be mitigated and paid by the County
• Did not reveal that mitigation of any cost related to environmental issues would be provided by the County
• Did not reveal that the County would pay $8,721,978 demolition of the buildings and grade the site

2. We have been given different answers to the same question.

• County Office building would cost $60,000,000
• County Office building would cost $70,000,000
• Would be no tax increase
• Would be a tax increase
• Halton Road Building was 290,000 square feet
• Halton Road Building was 240,000 square feet
• Halton Road Building cost $114 per square foot
• Halton Road Building cost $138 per square foot
• Halton Road Building needs no appraisal
• Halton Road Building needs an appraisal

3. Council has no idea what the cost of the project will be.

• To build the County Office building - $70,000,000
• To move SCDOT, Health Dept. and Family Court - $40,000.000
• To provide the infrastructure as per the contract - $35,931,226
• Parking garage for the City of Greenville $15,000,000
• Demolition and preparing site $8,721,918
• To mitigate traffic problems cause by the project?
• To move EMS?
• Cost of the above items (but may increase) - $169,653,144

4. The handling of the Halton Road property raised a lot of questions.

• Why offer to buy the building for $33,100,000 even though it had sold for $18,350,000 18 months ago?
• Why did it not have an appraisal
• Why did Council have only 24 hours notice to make a decision to buy or not buy the building?
• Why on April 10, 2019 Council was told the building would be taken off the market April 12, 2019
• After a vote not to buy the building, the Administrator and the Chairman said the project was dead.
• Why on April 11, 2019 did the Administrator requested an appraisal of the “dead building”
• Why did the appraisal compare like buildings in Birmingham, AL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Durham, NC, Charlotte, NC, and Charleston, SC instead of local Upstate buildings
• Why did the appraisal have the statement, “No party or parties other than Greenville County may use or rely on the information, opinions, and conclusions contained in this report”?
• Why did the appraisal also state, “The most recent sale price is well below the reconciled value in this report. The seller was an engineering firm, not a real estate investor. Buildings that were previously owner-occupied often sell for below market prices because owner users don’t typically monitor market trends well.”  Does this mean Fluor Corporation lost $15,000,000 because they didn't know how to value buildings?
• The appraised value of the building was $33,500,000
• Compared to like buildings sold in the Greenville area during the past three years the building would be valued at $20,400,000 ($85 per sq ft X 240,000 sq ft = $20,400,00)
• Upgrades done $1,500,000
• Value of building with upgrades would be $21,900,000
• The building is still on the market

5. There has been a loss of confidence and trust in leadership.
6. Everything that has been proposed can be done for less than $65,000,000

• There is a need for 250,000 sq ft for the County Office Building
• Move the County office building to the Halton Road site
• Buy the Halton Road property for no more than $22,000,000
• Up grade building $10,000,000
• Total cost of building with upgrade $32,000,000
• Add 10,000 square feet to Halton Road Building ($150 sq ft X 10,000 = $1,500,000)
• Buy one, two, or three buildings for $85 per sq ft (240,000 sq ft X 85 = $20,400,000)
• Upgrade building for $10,000.
• Total Cost of the project $63,900,000

7. It is possible to save the taxpayers $100,000,000 for the same project.
8. With the cooperation of RocaPoint Partners, the entire 37 acres can be developed.

• Demolition could start in 2020
• Buildings could start in 2021

9. With the alternative building plan the project may start building earlier
10. At $2,000,000 an acre, the County could reap another $74,000,000.