County prepares for move into Barstow Mall
BARSTOW • As construction workers convert the east end of the Barstow Mall into office space, the county is preparing to become the mall’s new tenants.
The Barstow offices of the San Bernardino County Department of Children and Family Services and the Transitional Assistance Department will vacate the spaces they currently occupy by Dec. 1. Both departments and the Department of Aging and Adult Services will move into 31,150 square-feet of offices at the eastern end of the Barstow Mall.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Tuesday will discuss terminating the county’s lease with AlaskaUSA Federal Credit Union and Pacific Marine Credit Union, which owns the building that currently houses Children and Family Services. The Board will also discuss terminating the Transitional Assistance Department’s lease with building owners Robert and Eva LaFleur.
Children and Family Services currently leases 7,600 square feet of office space for about $12,008 a month. The local department office has been at that space since 1990. The county expects to save about $73,872 for the rest of fiscal year 2010-2011 by moving to the Barstow Mall.
Transitional Assistance currently leases about 15,768 square feet of space at 1300 Mountain View Street. Rent is about $24,705 a month. Moving to the Barstow Mall will save the county $187,047, according to county staff.
Transitional Assistance and Children and Family Services will begin moving from their current location to their new offices in November, said David Zook, chief of staff for First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt. Construction at the Barstow Mall is expected to be completed by Nov. 1.
Both departments should be moved into the mall by Dec. 1. But Zook said if there is a delay, both departments can stay at their current locations on a month-to-month basis.
The San Bernardino Board of Supervisors meet at 10 a.m. inside Covington Chambers of the Board of Supervisors on the first floor of the County Government Center at 385 North Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino. The agenda and staff reports can be viewed at www.sbcounty.gov/bos.
Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com
