Santa Rosa Sears site purchase to come back before the Board of Supervisors

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will once again take up the discussion of purchasing a downtown Santa Rosa property for a new county government complex.

In February, the board postponed a decision on the $20.75 million purchase of the former Sears department store property at the south end of Santa Rosa Plaza after concerns about the cost of building a new complex to replace its aging facilities at the northern end of the city.

Two supervisors, David Rabbitt and Lynda Hopkins, said they wanted more information about the long-term costs, which were estimated as high as $55 million a year for 30 years, which would make it the most expensive public project in the county in more than 20 years.

A new finance report from the county staff, however, includes design options for the Sears project ranging from $35.7 million a year to $55.4 million, with a recommendation for an option that would run $44.4 million.

The less expensive options might limit the number of employees who could be accommodated or the level of sustainable design that could be achieved.

“It still is a matter of key decisions,” said Board of Supervisors Chair James Gore. “How much money we’re willing to bear to build that out.”

If the board approves the Sears site purchase Tuesday, the decision would mark the most significant step in the efforts to leave county’s aging north Santa Rosa complex. That collection of one-story buildings, built in the 1950s, has a $367 million maintenance backlog, according to the county.

The board selected the 7.4-acre former Sears site for the new county complex last year.

Staff have since outlined a plan that would cover the costs using money mainly from the county’s General Fund toward a public-private partnership. Under the plan, a private firm would “design, build, finance, operate and maintain the building (including all utilities and repairs for 30 years).”

The county would start making annual payments to the private firm once the project is complete and employees are moved in - projected to be in 2028, according to the report.

Proponents of the move, including local business owners and Santa Rosa elected officials, have described a downtown county government office as a way to inject greater investment and vitality into the city’s commercial and civic core.

Supervisor Chris Coursey, who represents the area, has been a loud supporter of a downtown relocation. Speaking with The Press Democrat Monday, Coursey said the Sears site offered proximity to public transit, including the SMART stop in Railroad Square, which means the project could qualify for federal funding.

“The RRIF (Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing) financing is only available on the downtown site, it has to be within half a mile of a railroad station,” Coursey said.

He noted that should the project qualify for RRIF, it stands to bring down costs.

Another question that stands to come up during Tuesday’s discussion is whether the board should opt to renovate its current campus instead of moving downtown.

According to county the option to remain at the current campus could be cheaper by around $3 million so long as the county does not add or change the parking on site.

The board hopes to use the current campus for housing development.

On Feb. 8 Rabbitt questioned whether the board should opt for renovating the existing campus. It is a question likely to come up again Tuesday.

Both Hopkins and Rabbitt did not return interview requests Monday.

In a text to a Press Democrat reporter Supervisor Susan Gorin wrote “Need 4 votes. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MurphReports.