New Brentsville Supervisor’s office cost estimates rise to nearly $220,000

A new office space for Prince William County’s newest Supervisor could cost nearly $220,000.

Employees from the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office moved from the Prince William County Judicial Center into the old Brentville District Supervisors office inside the Old Manassas Courthouse at 9248 Lee Avenue. Now county officials are shopping for new office space that will house newly Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson and her staff. Lawson will complete the term for Covington, who stepped down from the Board of Supervisors to become a judge.

Lawson is working out of a temporary office in 9440 Innovation Drive in Innovation Park just outside Manassas. It’s office space owned leased by the Prince William County Public Works division.

County officials are working on finding and then moving Lawson into new digs.

“I just think the current location is somewhat wearhousy and it’s not centrally located within the Brenstville District,” said Prince William Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, At-large. “It really does need to be a little more retail, in my opinion, but ultimately is going to be up to you Ms. Lawson.”

Lawson was unavailable to comment for this story.

Prince William County owns the Old Manassas Courthouse so no new expenditures expected after Commonwealth Attorney staff was moved into the office. There was also little if any additional impact to the county budget when the office was occupied by Supervisor Covington in that building.

As the Old Manassas Courthouse no longer an option for Lawson, three properties are being reviewed as a permanent home for the Brentsville District Office. The new costs for the new office will come from the county’s general fund and are covered under the county’s five-year plan that currently envisions a 4% tax increase each year. Budget guidance for 2015, however, would see the number lowered to a 1.3% tax increase.

The county is looking at a total of 2,000 square feet of office space  at Beacon Hall, a new mixed-used development on the Prince William Campus of George Mason University, just across from the Hylton Performing Arts Center. It houses graduate students in apartments on the upper floors with retail space on the ground floor, where a new Subway restaurant is open for business. For a five-year lease, the county was quoted $184,179.

The price goes up as county officials explore other options off of the George Mason campus nearly 20 miles away at Bristow Commons at 9100 Devlin Road, near Linton Hall Road. For 1,220 square feet of space, the county was quoted $102,080 for a 5-year-lease. Additionally, Bristow Commons quoted the county $219,640 for 2,500 square feet of space for a 5-year lease.

Each quote includes costs for moving, new furniture, installation of equipment, permits, and a “very rough estimate” of $50,000 per each quote for the county’s IT department to properly wire the space for computer use.

In 2012, Supervisor Peter Candland moved his office from a the county-owned Sudley North Government Center at 7987 Ashton Avenue outside Manassas to an office building at 7001 Heritage Village Plaza in Gainesville shortly he was elected.

Here’s a breakdown of details of the lease signed in 2012, provided by Prince William County:

Lease

$23.70/square foot

1,463 square feet.

Interior renovations paid for by landlord as part of lease.

$34,685.51 rent for FY15.  3% escalation per year.

Furniture and Furnishings

$39,000.  (This included 4 desks w/hutches; one small desk; reception counter in front of office; storage/supply hutch; conference table and chairs; conference room wipe board unit).

Chairs – 4 Kimball Skye – $4,000

Special Coffee Table – $600

Total: $43,600

OIT/Telecom

$5,530 – labor and materials for wiring network devices including wall mounted rack, jacks, cables, etc.

$5,500 – I-Net fiber into the office space from Heathcote Blvd.  This will be different for any new office space.

$1,400 – $350 per each telephone, estimate 4 phones

$2,500 – 12 port network switch

Total:  $14,930

The 2012 order for the new office space also contained $65,000 charge to run a new fiber internet line for the office complex inside the Heritage Hunt neighborhood. The county also took cost-saving measures with Candland’s new office by tasking county jail inmates with painting office walls, and having the landlord wash and touch-up the walls as well as install storage closet racks, according to a county spokesman.

During a Jan. 6 meeting, Lawson told constituents that her current office at Innovation Park is open for business while officials search for a permanent office location.