JONESBORO — Design plans for the county’s new Administration Building were unveiled during the Board of Commissioners’ Sept. 13 work session.
The new three-story, 85,000-square-foot facility will be located at the corner of Smith Street and Lee Street. A five-story parking deck is also part of the construction plan.
The entrance will face Lee Street Park. A total of $40 million in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds have been set aside to fund the project. The Jonesboro Library and Human Resources buildings on Smith Street will be demolished to make way for the facility.
Project Managers Amelia Kaywood and Claudia Haynes with Nelson Worldwide explained they are 80% complete with the building’s drawings, which are now being reviewed by the county. Following county approval, Haynes said the design firm will move toward finalizing permits, which takes anywhere from eight-12 weeks, and submit a request for proposals, which takes an additional eight-12 weeks.
Haynes said the parking deck will be built first and take approximately eight months to complete. Construction will then begin on the administration building and will take an estimated 18 months to complete. She said it’s currently unclear whether the two structures can be built at the same time.
Commissioner Felicia Franklin asked about whether a library component had been considered. The space did not appear on the presented drawings. When it was decided the Jonesboro Library would be razed, a proposed library space was suggested to fill the void.
The building will feature a number of large windows, which prompted Franklin to ask about employee safety. She asked that county officials find a balance between safety and design.
Ben Hopkins, Building Maintenance director, said the county and Nelson Worldwide are working with a critical infrastructure team to ensure safety and efficiency are working together.
The building location was approved in November 2021. The new facility is expected to open at the end of 2025.
