Noblesville center of Hamilton County officials’ future plan
As Hamilton County officials work on the 2015 budget, commissioners and county council members met to discuss capital spending priorities and requests. At the top of the list were several projects that will impact Noblesville.
Judicial center expansion
Space at the Hamilton County Judicial Center has become nonexistent and officials decided to add to the existing building instead of find a new location to house county departments. However, state legislation has caused financial issues for counties – even if funds are available.
Officials estimate it would cost $20 million to build three shell stories and furnish the first floor. Any government or school project costing more than $12 million requires a referendum.
“We don’t want to do a referendum,” Commissioner President Christine Altman said.
“We can only fund up to $12 million of project costs from a bond without a referendum,” Attorney Mike Howard said, adding the amount includes design, land and interest fees. “That’s about $10 million with design and project costs … You can’t shell the building for that.”
Howard said the expansion is expected to cost $150 per square foot and the project will make the addition look similar to the existing building. The expansion will be three stories with each floor having 35,000-square-feet.
Officials are hopeful state laws are changed this year to allow the $12 million to not include fees and the judicial center needs to be in the planning stage.
“We should be shovel-ready,” Hamilton County Councilor Brad Beaver said. “We’ve got to finish the building if you start it … Adding onto this building makes the most sense. Nothing works except for right here.”
Other sites looked at include the county health department area on Ind. 37, but moving offices into the proposed addition would provide efficiency.
“It’s a one-stop shop. The way different offices interact, we’d like to keep them together,” Altman said, adding the first floor expansion would house the auditor, treasurer, recorder and assessor’s offices.
Roadway upgrades
Hamilton County officials have a proposal to reduce traffic congestion and travel times along a six-mile stretch of Ind. 37 between Fishers and Noblesville by creating a freeway with roundabout intersections similar to Keystone Parkway in Carmel. A study advised the traffic issues and future failure of nine intersections between I-69 and Ind. 38 would be solved with such a renovation.
“People specifically avoid (Ind.) 37. What’s that do to our other roads? They are all getting more congested,” Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said.
The project will be a joint one between the county, Noblesville, Fishers and INDOT.
“The consensus is everyone is buying into it, not to funding but the project,” Altman said.
Cost of the project to own and operate the roadway is estimated at $243 million during 50 years. Local officials are hoping for 85 to 90 percent funding to come outside of Hamilton County and want to have the funds ready whenever it becomes time.
Altman believes the highway project will not be able to begin until 2019.
“2015 is the fastest to start even conceptual design,” she said.
Fellow commissioners Steve Dillinger and Heirbrandt believe the “behemoth” project will begin sooner and want the county to be in a position to start as soon as it is allowed.
“I think it will go quicker than we anticipate,” Dillinger said.
“I think we need to speed up now. I’m going to push the talk about it,” Heirbrandt said.
The other major roadway needing to be addressed is a bypass for Ind. 32. Congestion on Conner and Logan streets in downtown Noblesville has called for the need to explore other east-west options through the heart of the city. One potential solution is extending Pleasant Street on both sides of White River and building a bridge. The project, which would be an inter-local agreement, would require Noblesville to build the roadway and the county to construct the bridge.
“Pleasant Street, in my opinion, is long overdue,” councilor Steve Schwartz of Noblesville said.
Officials have set aside $5 million during the next three years for Ind. 37 and the Ind. 32 bypass.
“To me, this would be the highest priority on this list,” Dillinger said.
Jail changes, expansion
Due to legislative changes, beginning July 1 Indiana counties will be responsible for housing convicted inmates with Class D felonies instead of the Indiana Dept. of Corrections.
“Most Class D felonies are going to have to be served at jail or some alternative work release,” Howard said. “There is going to be pressure on our judges to manage that.”
Howard said this means anyone sentenced to less than one year to serve, which could be two years if half is removed for good behavior, would remain in the sentencing county.
“It will be our problem,” he said.
“The most immediate release valve is a third-story work release,” said Dan Stevens, administrative assistant.
Officials said a shell was built on the third story of the Hamilton County Community Corrections so the county has 33,000-square-feet of open space available. It is estimated to cost $70 to $80 per square foot to build out that area into usable space.
“It’s $2.3 million to take care of the state’s problem. Then it’s operational issues,” Howard said.
“My guess is any money from the state will be operational,” Altman said.
Officials said they are looking at all of the facilities including the juvenile detention center and former county jail.
“We’re looking at all of our assets, if we can do without building more buildings,” Heirbrandt said. “We need to use our assets more efficiently.”
Howard said trends in juvenile courts tend to be more community based rather than jail time. The county jail is currently at 90 percent capacity.
“We could treat these people at a less per diem cost at other facilities we have,” Howard said.
Battered women’s shelter
The discussion of opening a domestic-violence shelter in Hamilton County began late last year. At the time, preliminary plans were to raise approximately $5 million for a 30-bed facility serving women and children seeking refuge from abuse and in need of emergency housing. It was planned to be operated by not-for-profit Alternatives Inc., which runs a shelter in Anderson that currently assists Hamilton County residents.
Altman said when Alternatives left the project it was dead but it has since regained life. The county is working to create a 501c3 and partner with the Salvation Army, which is under the umbrella of the United Way and its capital grants.
“The shelter is not a dead issue,” said Altman. “The pull out of Alternatives was disappointing for all of us … We probably have a better project pairing up with a different partner.”
Altman said officials are looking within Noblesville for an appropriate place for the shelter and have identified a few potential locations.
“There is some property at Riverview (Health) that might come up that will be intriguing. Riverview property has facilities on it. I need to sit down with (Riverview CEO) Pat Fox,” she said, adding other areas include Field Drive and three acres next to the jail.
Officials said there are currently a lot of unknown with the domestic violence shelter but are hopeful to have one up and running in three years.
“Alternatives is talking with the committee group about advice on design,” Altman said. “Alternatives definitely has needs there. It’s a great facility we might want to mirror.”
If the project is partnered with the Salvation Army, Altman said the shelter would handle overflow for the entire state.
“We’ll own the facility and contract with someone to run it,” she said.
Cash-committed projects
Fiber ring – $2.6 million (funded and installation complete)
Riverwalk – $2 million (coordinating with federal project funds and determining status of overlook)
Emergency Management Agency improvements – $100,000
Body scanners – $500,000 for scanners at jail and judicial center
Sheriff in-car video – $140,000 (funded and installation being completed)
CAD software – $3.5 million (funded through 911 funds)
Know more
In addition to the priority projects, the Hamilton County Commissioners have identified the following capital projects for the future:
• 146th Street West – The project is funded through TIF. “We’ll beg, borrow and steal to get that done,” Altman said.
• Ind. 32 bypass around Noblesville – A study has been funded and county is cost sharing with the City of Noblesville.
• 276th Street improvements – The project, from Gwinn Road to U.S. 31, will be funded by TIF dollars.
• Backup communications facility – The county is looking at the Carmel building and is awaiting design cost proposals. It will be funded through 911 contributions.
• 236th Street – Highway dollars awarded in 2017 (will require a 20 percent local match) will reconstruct the street from U.S. 31 west to Sheridan and U.S. 31 east to Cicero. Officials said with the completion of U.S. 31 upgrades this will make 236th Street a higher traveled roadway.
• 146th Street to Keystone ramp – Funding through TIF and CMAC.
