Growing pains are prompting the city of Ceres to advance on plans for new digs for Public Works operations.
The Ceres City Council on Monday approved hiring Red, Inc. Architects at a cost of $171,700 to design improvements for an industrial park site. The city bought the parcel and two metal buildings on the site at 1921 Rockefeller Drive in 2021 for $1.5 million. The buildings will be remodeled to offer more space for all of Public Works’ equipment and staff as well as the Water Division and field staff’s daily operations including equipment and material storage.
Public Works Director Sam Royal said remodeling and equipping the property will cost $1.83 million – paid for out of the Water Enterprise Fund and not the General Fund – and take a full year starting in the fall.
The southern building will be improved to store equipment which is currently kept outside for lack of space at the city’s corporation yard on Harold Avenue.
The northern building will be remodeled an area for administrative staff, training room and breakroom.
The city will also set up an Emergency Operation Center (“EOC”) to the city, supported by an onsite backup power generator in the event of a power outage or another emergency. The EOC will include a conference room equipped with permanent communication and electrical infrastructure needed to support the rapid response of the EOC.
The city is also installing a new filtration on Well #22 on the Rockefeller property which will be completed this fall.
Royal said the Rockefeller “property is a good fit for staff, freeing up space within the existing Corporation Yard.”
The new center will also dovetail into city plans to completely revamp the outdated corporation yard at 2220 Hackett Road. Approved by the council in April 2019 the master plan calls for seven old buildings on the campus to be replaced by eight new two-story buildings ranging in size from 3,840 to 7,200 square feet.
Public Works Director Sam Royal said the city wants to get going on the first building at the Hackett yard by the summer and finish the rest as funds are available.
“We have enough funding to do Phase 1,” said Royal. “We’re planning on probably building the improvements every other year.”
Moving the water division staff to 1921 Rockefeller Drive will also allow mean less staff relocation once construction takes place in four phases at Hackett Road.
The city plans to move the parks maintenance staff from the Smyrna Park yard to the Hackett Road Corporation Yard Facility as well.
The campus has several buildings occupied by staff as well as several storage buildings. The buildings on this property are all aging with the current administration building. The most recent structure was added to the Fleet Shop which was constructed in 2013. Currently, staff is outgrowing the campus. There are not enough offices currently for all the employees, leaving some to share spaces.
