Tumwater council to weigh city hall space planning options

Space limitations at Tumwater City Hall have local officials looking for ways to create some elbow space at the facility.

To that extent, the Tumwater City Council is going to discuss what to do about the problem at a 6 p.m. work session at Tumwater City Hall on Tuesday, May 26.

The city council toured the facility in late March to get a better idea of how tight quarters can impact working conditions. That led to the city hiring Artisans Group Architecture and Planning to map out and evaluate future options at the facility.

That work included future planning options, which will be presented to the city council at the work session.

Four options were identified and analyzed:

1. The incremental approach — Remain in the existing city hall and continue leasing additional space as needed, with a future plan to construct a significant addition to accommodate long-term needs. 
2. New city hall building construct — A new, purpose-built city hall facility sized to meet projected long-term needs. 
3. New police station construct — A new, standalone police facility to address law enforcement space and operational needs, while retaining city hall in its current location. 
4. Buy an existing building — Seek to acquire and repurpose an existing building in Tumwater. During the space planning analysis, 310 Israel Road was identified and evaluated as a potential city hall site.

“The Artisans Group's work is a key step toward resolving (city hall's) space issues,” states a staff report on the issue. “The materials give (council) a basis for discussion and direction. Staff request (council) feedback to shape the next phase of space planning."