In March 2019, Northampton County will be able to exercise an option to purchase the centralized Human Serviced building, which is located along Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Township. The price tag is $14,566,722.
Normally, a county would make this kind of purchase by floating a bond.But instead of shackling the county with more debt, Executive John Brown has been setting aside the funds to complete this purchase. In his latest budget amendment, Brown proposes adding $1 million to the purchase fund, which will be enough to enable the county to buy the building in 2019.
23 comments:
They have no choice but buy the building. The lease is a real turkey. It is a cash cow for the owner. One of the dumbest moves ever in county government. A lease that pays the building owner and makes the county responsible for everything,
As to paying cash it may or may not be a good idea depends on what else is on the table.
This project, better known as "Stoffa's folly" never should have taken place. Further proof that as a Executive, Stoffa left some to be desired. As Mr. nice guy Stoffa was the best. He was a very bad business man.
The lease was terrible. Stoffa and his "consultant" p0al Mohr conned the county into signing this goofy lease in which the county is responsible for everything even the owners taxes. The worst part is the crappy building is already having problems. What a waste.
Much like the Gracedale sale scam, all predicated on his BS.
What are the other options? It seems the county is in a catch 22 with this problem. Let the new council study this and propose various options to worm their way out of this. Let them start earning their money!
It's a triple net lease, and the intention was always to buy as soon as the county could do so. The purchase had to await the sale of he Bechtel and Wolf buildings. Once a month, Council is asked aboyt the building. Unless Allison Frantz is lying, it is in excellent condition.
The Stoffa haters are out in full force with this topic, spewing ignorant criticism of the DHS building. The lease was designed to recover fitting out costs of construction. When the county buys the building, their total cost, including lease payments will be @ $23 million. That is a very reasonable cost for a 66,000 s.f. state of the art building, constructed using quality union labor, in a prime location. It was built in 14 months. Without a private construction management company and lease to buy arrangement, it would have taken the county 3 years to build it. The building has been a huge asset to the county by consolidating human services in a one stop shop.
The "building" is a three story box in an industrial park, not the Taj Mahal.
It is an attractive building surrounded by medical facilities and corporate headquarters. Not an "industrial park" in the negative way your are trying to portray it. Very centrally located in a high-demand area. Give up your Stoffa hatred.
Wait, someone, calls out a stupid lease and it means you are a "Stoffa hater". When did the guy become some sort of religious prophet? He was a politician who signed a dumb lease. It is a building, not a church. A box in a park.
Stop drinking the Kool-Aid. A few people made some nice money on this deal. the county wasn't one of them.
At this point, i should delete you. But since you look like an idiot, i’ll Let your comment stand.
Anon 9:31 comments about as nonsensical as can be. Dumb as a box of rocks.
I think they should buy it. Then they can turn around and sell it and build a full non court related county government center in downtown Easton. It would house human services as well as all the other non-court related county agencies.
Bernie
The county has $14M to buy a building? Is this the same county where the current DHS director said his department doesn't have enough funds to hire more social services employees to help with the overwhelming number of child abuse cases?
Anonymous said...
The "building" is a three story box in an industrial park, not the Taj Mahal.
November 16, 2017 at 1:46 PM
The building is new and is located in a very expensive real estate business complex.
"The county has $14M to buy a building? Is this the same county where the current DHS director said his department doesn't have enough funds to hire more social services employees to help with the overwhelming number of child abuse cases?"
Since the DHS Director is female, your statement is a lie.
"The building is new and is located in a very expensive real estate business"
Good, that means we should be able to get out of this stupid lease and flip it for a profit then build s new government center complex.
Last poster is cuckoo.
anon 4:10, keep drinking the Kool-Aide. When you run out of money for services and jobs in order to pay for your private building, tough luck.
Cuckoo!!
Hopefully they do buy the building. With all the rent that has been paid and what is still owed on this building, the county could have built three buildings.
Good riddance to one of the worst deals in county history.
2:39. That is just a bold faced lie, can you read and comprehend? Or did you miss graduating middle school
2:39 cannot read and comprehend. A previous post indicated that the county will end up paying around $23 million for the building, including lease payments. That is a reasonable price for a 66,000 SF building in that location. "The county could have built three buildings"? - you are not only ignorant, you're nuts. Give up your hatred for all things Stoffa.
I am now deleting comments from the Stoffa hater because that person has stopped arguing facts.
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