City of Palm Coast Offices Move to City Walk
The city gave up their present structure in order to retain Palm Coast Data and 1,000 existing jobs.
Palm Coast, Florida – October 14, 2008 – The City of Palm Coast, Florida has signed a lease for 21,000 square feet of space in City Walk, a new but under-occupied commercial development on Cypress Point Pkwy. They plan to relocate 150 city employees from the present city office location at 2 Commerce Blvd. The three year lease carries a monthly rate of $20,000, inclusive of maintenance and taxes. The city will spend $66,671 for fiber optic cable installation and $48,461 for communications cable installation at City Walk.
In addition to making the Palm Coast Data consolidation decision possible, the move will absorb a piece of the present oversupply of commercial space in the area. It also makes City Walk and nearby Cobblestone Village more attractive to potential tenants.
With the announcement last week that Palm Coast Data will officially lease (with an option to purchase) the present City Hall location, City officials plan to vacate their facility and set up operations in City Walk. “Although the City purchased the warehouse at 2 Commerce Blvd. to serve as City Hall, we’ve always anticipated the building would eventually go back to industrial use,” says City Manager Jim Landon. “Over the past years, we’ve shown we can operate temporarily from any place and now we’ll simply do it again.”
Since incorporation in December, 1999, this will be the sixth location for City offices: the Community Center, Corporate Plaza, the Flagler County Library, Palm Harbor Shopping Center, 2 Commerce Blvd. and now City Walk. The new Palm Coast City Offices will house the identical departments and employees that were located at 2 Commerce Blvd. All department telephone numbers will remain the same.
The City of Palm Coast teamed with the State of Florida, Flagler County and Enterprise Flagler to retain and expand Palm Coast Data’s business operation in the City, bringing 700 new primary jobs and retaining 1,000 positions at their campus location that will include 2 Commerce Blvd. This retention and expansion is expected to give our local economy a $174 million boost.
Palm Coast Data will lease City Hall for $240,000 annually for three years with an option to purchase at $3 million within three years. In the meantime, the 150+ City Office employees will pack up and settle into their new City Walk location, welcome visitors and continue business as early as Monday, November 3rd if the new office space is ready to occupy.
Rental Space
So the city gets $240,000 for the current city hall and they pay $240,000 for new space….even deal except for who pays the $67,000 for the fiber optic installation which hopefully includes connecting all the lines for tel, comp, and service networking. and a warehouse that will charged to go to and from to get things such as files, etc. on a daily basis. Does this ring of paid loss labor time??? huummmm
City Walk shuttle bus?
From what I see there is going to be a major parking problem at City Walk. That can be overcome with remote parking and a shutle bus for employees. The other tenants will not want the parking taken up by city workers and municipal vehicles.
City Walk
I agree with the first comment, but what about the additional monies they are going to be spending. Also, is this $20,000 a month (which seems exhorbitant)going to be for one year – three years. I agree City Walk needs an infusion, but a the tax payers expense?
How "benefits" are calculated?
Putting people back to work and to earn a living in our private economy is a wonderful thing.
On the other hand I have difficulty accepting job creation where the taxpayers are "buying jobs" from the private sector.
According to published reports "This retention and expansion is expected to give our local economy a $174 million boost."
Is this $174 million calculated or just a number that sounds impressive or is it a number that can’t be verified?
If this $174 million is a true number, how much of that money will be returned to the taxpayers?
I guess I have too much time on my hand to think about things like this. But on the other hand, I don’t take a job away from younger people to keep busy.
Reply to Carl
The wiring expense and moving expense are trivial compared to the overall economic benefit to the area. And remember, the current city hall will be returned to the tax rolls when it is sold.
Reply to George
City Walk was permitted with a specific number of parking places based on the permitted use of the buildings. The building space will be used by somebody. The city’s use falls within the permitted use. A city worker’s car will require no more space than any another worker’s car.
Reply to Jaanna
The rent will be paid for the 3-year lease period. It is not exorbitant. In fact, the rate works out to be under $12 per square foot per year which is about half the local market rate.