Department of Aging officials will forward a $2 million capital project request to the county Capital Improvements Committee for expanding and remodeling the Lincoln Center.
The county Commission on Aging approved the request Thursday, Aug. 12. The request was submitted to meet the Aug. 20 deadline for capital improvement projects to be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Department. The Commission on Aging is awaiting the results of an architect's study to determine if the county should purchase the Associated Bank Annex (the former Weber Tackle building) for use as a new senior center.
Because no firm numbers will be available in time for the capital improvement request deadline, the Department on Aging is asking to be able to change its request if the Associated Bank Annex is found to be a feasible option, Commission on Aging Director Janet Zander said.
More room is needed at the Lincoln Center to accommodate state requirements for space in the Adult Day Care Program; space for packing an increased number of home-delivered meals; additional classroom space due to increased utilization of the Senior Center; and to add needed office space, storage space and parking, according to the project justification the department submitted.
Included in the $2 million price tag is $195,000 for purchasing three homes to the south of the Lincoln Center that would need to be razed to provide an additional 75 to 80 parking spaces.
Another option being looked at for parking is tearing down the old Sentry Dormitory and another building.
"We need parking," Zander said. "We need about 30,000 square feet. If there's another plan to get it, that would be great."
The project includes $1.5 million for building the main addition onto the southern end of the Lincoln Center, adding a small portion to the northwest corner of the building and renovations. The city owns the Lincoln Center building and land, while the Portage County owns the parking lot.
Because adding onto the Lincoln Center would fill the site, the Department on Aging recommends the proposed addition be built to accommodate a second floor. Purchasing property to the south should also be considered for future building or parking expansion.
Given the situation the county jail is facing, Commission Chairman Melvin Steinke questioned if the county should spend $2 million on the Lincoln Center.
The bank building would be a better long-term solution and meet the department's needs for the next 25 to 30 years, said John Regnier, commission member.
Portage County Board Chairman Clarence Hintz called the bank annex "a very good building" with three complete floors, 57,000 square feet of space, huge rooms and no basement.
If the county were to purchase the bank annex, there would be enough room for offices in addition to the senior center, Zander said.
Up until last week, one option the county was considering was to move the senior center to the bank annex and to raze the Lincoln Center to make room for an addition to the county jail. That jail space solution option evaporated after Stevens Point Mayor Gary Wescott indicated the city wouldn't support vacating Elk Street and building a jail in the neighborhood.
"We're really happy he came out with a decision and told us," Hintz said. "Now we know what we have to do and where we're going."
The jail is now at capacity and the Sheriff's Department is shipping inmates to other counties. The jail was designed for some inmates to be double bunked in cells, but the state changed the space requirements each inmate needs shortly after the jail opened, Hintz said. The cells are about 4 square feet too small to allow double bunking, resulting in the jail capacity being reduced.