The county secured a $1.7 million state grant for demolition and rehab through the state’s brownfield remediation program.
“Obviously it opens the way for the future in the next step in our facilities master plans and construction there, but in the short term what it does is just change the skyline of Xenia,” County Administrator Brandon Huddleson said. “You come through town and … you immediately see the outdoor rec area on top of that jail and it’s just not a pretty sight. So, we’re happy that that’ll be gone.”
Rauch has 100 days from the contract signing date to do the work, starting with the administration offices, meaning the sites will be gravel by the end of June at the latest.
The county’s current master plan calls for the present county administration building, which houses the commissioners’ offices among other things, to be demolished and replaced with a parking garage. The same plan also calls for a new administration building to be built where the old sheriff’s offices are.
The master plan, which lays out proposed facilities improvements over the next few decades, was criticized by county judges last year for proposing moving the county’s judicial functions out of the county courthouse.
“The master plan is fluid. It’s a living document,“ Huddleson said. ”And since the time that it was adopted by the commissioners and published, we’ve received some feedback. We’ve been in some conversation with some of the other elected officials, so that may change just a little bit."
The remaining $700,000 will go towards other elements of the project, including addressing water lines to the property, as well as asphalt and striping. Total costs are hovering around $1.4 million, Huddleson said, with the possibility some of the grant money may be turned back over to the state.
Over at the new county jail, Greene County Sheriff Scott Anger said with completion, he and jail staff are working on implementing new programming since the jail opened last year.
“We’re four weeks into the jail operations and really adjusting well,” he said. “So I’m very happy with where we’re at on the whole project.”
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