Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/116876
Sarasota News Leader March 22, 2013 Page 28 ished and the property was ceded in theory Smith sketched out a plan for the county comto the county. missioners in which the new tower on the old However, the actual transfer of deed and title sheriff���s office site would become the center never occurred. While the deal was inked in of criminal justice, while the Silvertooth buildan interlocal agreement, the necessary docu- ing across the street would focus on civil and ments to make the deal official and permanent non-criminal cases. were never filed. Thus, the city still retains The proposed new judicial tower would be ownership of the old police HQ property on 352,000 square feet. Using the same $300 per Ringling Boulevard, just east of U.S. 301. square foot construction cost, the price tag When the county staff began looking for a would be $105 million. If that is added to the site for another judicial tower, the old Sara- $100 million for a new sheriff���s campus on sota Police Department HQ property was in Cattlemen Road, the number rises to almost contention. But another site ��� the current $205 million. Assuming the county population Sarasota County Sheriff���s Office ��� was now is 500,000, that works out to a per capita figa possibility. ure of $410. ���The idea was to put a second judicial tower where the old city police department was lo- MUM���S THE WORD ON NUMBERS cated. That is still a viable option,��� said Courts While staff members were free with square Administrator Walt Smith. ���The idea came up if the [sheriff���s] space became available, it footage figures, they were mum on construcwould be the better location. It is attached to tion costs. Parking garage costs per space are the county jail, and that would save on trans- well known, but even those were not used in the presentation. portation, security and safety.��� The Sarasota County Commission addresses a matter during its regular meeting on March 19. Photo by Rachel Hackney