Broward property appraiser's office faces flooding problems

[Guest guest]

Broward property appraiser's office faces flooding problems

By Wyman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel

November 12, 2007

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-

flboffice1110nbnov12,0,7505869.story?track=rss

First, it was rats. Now, the county agency that sets property values

is plagued with leaks, mold and flooding.

The problem is so bad that the Property Appraiser's Office likely

will have to move out of the Governmental Center for two years while

the roof is torn off and replaced. The cost to taxpayers: at least

$2.5 million, and it could be much more expensive because officials

don't know the price of rebuilding the office after the new roof is

installed.

Despite repeated repairs, water from a nearby alley was 4 inches

deep in parts of the office after rain in late October. Sections of

the roof have leaked so badly that computers have died and plastic

trays with funnels now line the ceiling to collect water and drain

it into buckets. Potential mold has been discovered in the walls and

ceiling.

" It's so annoying because they have patched and patched the roof and

repaved the alley to no avail, " Property Appraiser Lori Parrish

said. " The leak is expanding, and you got to wonder if the roof

isn't going to cave in. "

Infrared imaging shows possible moisture problems over much of the

roof on the building's annex. Also, in tracking the problems in

Parrish's office, building managers learned a drainage system

extends under the Governmental Center and partly retains storm water

there.

Manholes for that drainage system were found under carpeting in the

elections office. The carpet there is often damp, and one employee

who worked above one of the manholes frequently complained of moldy

smells.

The problems come at a time when county commissioners have had to

cut spending to pay for property tax relief. That led them to scrap

consideration of a new county administration building, but they now

might have to find millions for repairs.

" I don't see anytime soon moving forward with a new campus so we

have to invest to maintain our current space, " said Commissioner

Lois Wexler, who is set to become mayor later this month. " There is

no choice. We have an obligation to the employees and the public to

repair the building and ensure it is safe. "

County government offices moved into the building at 115 S. s

Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale 23 years ago, after renovation of

what had been a Burdines department store. The property appraiser's

office extends from the five-story department store area into what

was once the garden center.

The roof of the old garden center has been repaired twice in the

past year, while crews have been constantly working to stop flooding

from the alley. Parrish at one point became so frustrated that she

hired her own expert to determine the potential for mold.

After the last round of their own studies, building managers decided

the roof could not be salvaged because of its age and condition.

They concluded that the roof would have to be removed and thus

Parrish's 189 employees who work there would have to move. The plan

is for Parrish to be out by July.

The office is the center of the property appraiser's operations,

where the public can file for homestead tax exemptions and question

property assessments. The office sets the value each year on more

than 830,000 properties — information that is the basis for the tax

bills sent out each November.

Officials are scrambling to find space downtown to lease for

Parrish. The only possibilities are the Museum Plaza and the Halmos-

Stiles Building, both just south of the Governmental Center.

Office space in the museum building is more expensive, but the

Halmos-Stiles building would need extensive renovations of its own

to house the Property Appraiser's Office. County officials estimate

the price to lease space will be at least $1.8 million. A new roof

will cost another $675,000.

Building managers have yet to ask county commissioners to approve

moving Parrish and repairing the offices. They want engineers first

to determine the extent of additional work to bring the office up to

current building codes.

Wyman can be reached at swyman@... or 954-356-

4511.

[Guest guest]

KC............................,

You are the Best.

Elvira

tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

Broward property appraiser's office faces flooding problems

By Wyman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel

November 12, 2007

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-

flboffice1110nbnov12,0,7505869.story?track=rss

First, it was rats. Now, the county agency that sets property values

is plagued with leaks, mold and flooding.

The problem is so bad that the Property Appraiser's Office likely

will have to move out of the Governmental Center for two years while

the roof is torn off and replaced. The cost to taxpayers: at least

$2.5 million, and it could be much more expensive because officials

don't know the price of rebuilding the office after the new roof is

installed.

Despite repeated repairs, water from a nearby alley was 4 inches

deep in parts of the office after rain in late October. Sections of

the roof have leaked so badly that computers have died and plastic

trays with funnels now line the ceiling to collect water and drain

it into buckets. Potential mold has been discovered in the walls and

ceiling.

" It's so annoying because they have patched and patched the roof and

repaved the alley to no avail, " Property Appraiser Lori Parrish

said. " The leak is expanding, and you got to wonder if the roof

isn't going to cave in. "

Infrared imaging shows possible moisture problems over much of the

roof on the building's annex. Also, in tracking the problems in

Parrish's office, building managers learned a drainage system

extends under the Governmental Center and partly retains storm water

there.

Manholes for that drainage system were found under carpeting in the

elections office. The carpet there is often damp, and one employee

who worked above one of the manholes frequently complained of moldy

smells.

The problems come at a time when county commissioners have had to

cut spending to pay for property tax relief. That led them to scrap

consideration of a new county administration building, but they now

might have to find millions for repairs.

" I don't see anytime soon moving forward with a new campus so we

have to invest to maintain our current space, " said Commissioner

Lois Wexler, who is set to become mayor later this month. " There is

no choice. We have an obligation to the employees and the public to

repair the building and ensure it is safe. "

County government offices moved into the building at 115 S. s

Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale 23 years ago, after renovation of

what had been a Burdines department store. The property appraiser's

office extends from the five-story department store area into what

was once the garden center.

The roof of the old garden center has been repaired twice in the

past year, while crews have been constantly working to stop flooding

from the alley. Parrish at one point became so frustrated that she

hired her own expert to determine the potential for mold.

After the last round of their own studies, building managers decided

the roof could not be salvaged because of its age and condition.

They concluded that the roof would have to be removed and thus

Parrish's 189 employees who work there would have to move. The plan

is for Parrish to be out by July.

The office is the center of the property appraiser's operations,

where the public can file for homestead tax exemptions and question

property assessments. The office sets the value each year on more

than 830,000 properties — information that is the basis for the tax

bills sent out each November.

Officials are scrambling to find space downtown to lease for

Parrish. The only possibilities are the Museum Plaza and the Halmos-

Stiles Building, both just south of the Governmental Center.

Office space in the museum building is more expensive, but the

Halmos-Stiles building would need extensive renovations of its own

to house the Property Appraiser's Office. County officials estimate

the price to lease space will be at least $1.8 million. A new roof

will cost another $675,000.

Building managers have yet to ask county commissioners to approve

moving Parrish and repairing the offices. They want engineers first

to determine the extent of additional work to bring the office up to

current building codes.

Wyman can be reached at swyman@... or 954-356-

4511.

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