subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Thu, Nov 26 2009 

Published November 15, 2008 06:33 pm - Some downtown property owners are playing it close to the chest as the state considers consolidating offices, possibly along Main Street. The move, which could bring as many as 300 jobs downtown, according to city estimates, is also raising some concerns.

State building proposal intrigues business circles



By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Some downtown property owners are playing it close to the chest as the state considers consolidating offices, possibly along Main Street.

The move, which could bring as many as 300 jobs downtown, according to city estimates, is also raising some concerns.

The state Office of Administration has called for proposals seeking office space to rent within one mile of the city limits of Joplin for a building to house many of the offices the state now has scattered around the city. The request for proposals gives preference to a historic building, central business district, community improvement district or Main Street program district.

Larry Schepker, commissioner of the Office of Administration in Jefferson City, said the reason for the proposal is to save money. He said that Gov. Matt Blunt, when he came into office, directed the agency to move offices from leased property to property the state owned or could buy and move agencies from scattered locations to centralized buildings for the convenience of customers and employees.

Consolidation has been accomplished so far in Jefferson City, where the Truman State Office Building was established, and in St. Louis, Schepker said. The office is now trying to do the same in Kansas City, Springfield and Joplin.

The state wants 60,000 square feet of office space with 365 parking spaces.

One building that meets those specifications is the former Interstate Grocer Co. (Bagcraft) building at 1027 Main St. It has 122,000 square feet available in five stories plus a full basement that has room for parking 55 vehicles and surrounding open land to accommodate the additional parking required.

Paul Whitehill, one of the partners in Gryphon Building Co., the developer, said, “At this point I really can’t make a comment on it,” when asked if the company is submitting a proposal for the state building.

City incentives

After the state issued a request for proposals on Oct. 1, the city went public Nov. 3 with an offer of up to $1 million of the cost of buying properties in the 800 and 900 blocks of Main Street for a developer to knock down the old buildings and build a new state office building there. That’s less than a block from Whitehill’s building, but it’s an area that has been targeted by the city in the past as an eyesore.

The prospect of knocking down old buildings and raising a modern building isn’t sitting well with the director of Main Street Joplin.

Toby Teeter, the director, said the group did the work to get historic designations for many of the buildings in the area the city now proposes to knock down.

“My issue, personally, and not speaking for Main Street, is that I’m just bothered by the process in that structures of historic significance would be bulldozed down,” if the city’s proposal succeeds, Teeter said. “I’m working on my own time to create more inventory (of downtown buildings) and they want to tear them down. It seems counterproductive.”



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

Announcements


Click here to VOTE!!

Click here!!

: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!


Featured Transportation

2002 KIA OPTIMA EX
4 door, sharp, loaded, leather, CD, sunroof, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

2001 FORD WINDSTAR SE
Sport, loaded, all options, great looking van, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

2002 FORD TAURUS SE
nice car, 3.0 liter V6, $2900. 417-850-0731....>MORE

1999 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED
4x4, leather loaded, $3500. 417-850-0731....>MORE

OLDSMOBILE 2003 SILHOUETTE VAN
OLDSMOBILE, 2003 Silhouette mini van, 107,000 miles, scooter/wheelchair hoist, nice, $7000. (417)776-3219....>MORE

2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS
4 door, luxury leather trim, loaded, CD, sunroof, beautiful rig, extra nice, $4500. 1317 Schifferdecker...>MORE

1989 CHEVROLET STEPSIDE
350, V8, custom flames, runs great, $2500. 417-208-6717...>MORE

1993 CHEVROLET LONG BED
runs good, 4.3 V6, new transmission, needs body parts, $400. (417)438-2508...>MORE

1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, sharp, loaded, automatic, air, CD, extra nice, $2600. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

1997 OLDSMOBILE 88
runs good, $1900. 417-850-0731....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

NEWER 3 BR/2 BA
Lots of upgrades and great location. $149,000 but all offers considered. 903 Katlin, Carl Junction. Pictures www.fsboloc...>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

5TH WHEEL
5TH WHEEL, 2004 Prowler Regal, 26’, 2 slides, loaded, nice. (620)674-2127....>MORE

ANGUS HEIFERS
6 Augus heifers, good foundation stock. (417)358-7519...>MORE

(2) TEACUP CHIHUAHUA
APRI puppies. (417)673-1997....>MORE

ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPY
male, AKC, fawn/white, champion bloodlines, $900 or best offer. (417)396-3340...>MORE

DIAMOND SOLITAIRE
Pear-shaped, one carat, diamond solitaire in gold setting. $2,000. Please call 417-825-3238...>MORE

YORKIES
12 weeks old, 2 males, AKC, 1st shots, $175. 417-291-6590, Webb City...>MORE

INDIAN HEAD PENNIES
INDIAN HEAD PENNIES, 35% Civil War II nickels, V nickels, Buffalo nickels, lots of other coins. Garage full of antiques ...>MORE

NEW IN BOX
New in box, Lucchese cowboy boots, black, size 9D, $200. (620)231-9256...>MORE

REWARD $50,000 REWARD

Offered for any information leading to conviction of any person or persons known to have been involved in alleged
...>MORE

POODLES
POODLES, standard pups, born 10/10, registered, shots, wormed, family raised. Adorable personalities! 417-673-3892....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition