Future of County-City building still up in the air as more look to leave

 

SAINT JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The future of the County-City building in downtown South Bend is still up in the air.

This time last year, Saint Joseph County Commissioners were looking at plans to either renovate and stay or move out of the nearly 60-year-old downtown hub when the city moves their offices out this year.

There is no big update yet, but now there are more factors to consider, like the Saint Joseph County Department of Health also looking to leave the building and move into their own.

"Personally, I'm a proponent of the health department having their own building," says Saint Joseph County Commissioner Rafael Morton.

Commissioner Morton says it all comes down to parking and accessibility, which have both been longtime complaints about the County-City building in downtown South Bend, especially with the Department of Health inhabiting the 8th and 9th floors.

"It makes it easier for mothers with children, elderly people, everyone for that matter, to have the health department be a lot more accessible," Morton says.

As for where the health department will relocate, they have their eyes on the former American National University building on the corner of Eddy Street and Jefferson Boulevard, close to downtown.

It's not "the one" just yet though, Commissioner Morton says the county needs to do their due diligence before a final decision is made.

"They are pretty excited about that building," says Morton. "But from a perspective of how is that building going to work out and how much cost is going to be involved from the county's perspective to make that building a very good choice."

It begs the question: if the health department moves out of the County-City building, what will be the next move for the remaining county offices after the city moves out this year?

A city spokesperson told ABC57 News on Tuesday their original timeline to move into the former South Bend Community Schools headquarters on MLK Jr. Blvd. this spring has been pushed back to late August/ early September due to renovations.

Commissioner Morton says it's still an active discussion of whether to invest in necessary renovations to keep their offices in the County-City building or look outside the building at other options.

"We're looking at space allocation studies, what's going to be the most strategic and cost-effective way that we can continue to operate this building without the city of South Bend being here," says Morton.

Commissioner Morton says likely very soon, county commissioners will be looking to scope out the A.N.U. building and see if it is a feasible fit for the health department.