Wednesday, March 29, 2000
Designer hired for new city building
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — With funds for a new high school and recreation center secured, city leaders are moving forward with plans for the third piece — a multimillion-dollar complex that would bring a new city building to fast-growing Mason.
City Council on Monday approved a $1.05 million contract with Michael Schuster & Associates and Philip Swager Associates to design a new government-services center.
The municipal facility would be built on 73 acres on Mason-Montgomery Road across from Rose Hill Cemetery, between Main Street and the current high school.
The city bought the land, known as the Westerkamm Farm, 18 months ago for $3.1 million. Mason officials say they plan to erect a new City Hall because the current one, at 202 W. Main St., is too small.
“We simply don't have the room we need in this building anymore,” said City Manager Scot Lahrmer.
City Hall houses municipal court, administration offices, police, parks and recreation, economic development, and tax and finance departments.
Mason officials were forced to open a satellite office in 1994 for its engineering, building and planning departments due to lack of space. The city's maintenance and road crews and public works and utilities departments each have offices in other parts of the city also.
City leaders envision the new government-services center as a way of consolidating many government offices that are scattered throughout Mason. In addition to administrative offices, the building would include several public meeting/conference rooms, separate chambers for the municipal court and city council, a basement area for storage and disaster services, increased parking and possibly a mayor's office.
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The new government-services center will be roughly 80,000 square feet and cost an estimated $15 million.
Mr. Lahrmer said the city will pay for the new building through its earnings tax, though council may need to borrow some funds for construction.
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