Construction of new criminal justice center considered

Urban Renewal Target: This empty lot on Jefferson Avenue could become the site of a new justice center housing the city police department, Union County Sheriff’s Office and Union County Circuit Court. - The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH

Community leaders are considering construction of a new criminal justice center in the heart of La Grande that would house the city police department, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the court.

A new center would relieve cramped working conditions both at the Union County Correctional Facility and at the Joseph Building, which houses circuit court.

City police and the sheriff’s office share headquarters in the  26,000-square-foot correctional facility at the corner of Sixth Street and K Avenue. The building, which also houses the county jail, is no longer big enough to accommodate their joint needs.

The circuit court does business in the Joseph Building, formerly St. Joseph Hospital, at Fourth Street and K Avenue. Facilities there have long been deemed inadequate.

A task force was recently appointed by the Union County Board of Commissioners to look for ways to fund construction of a new court facility. (See related story below.)

With that effort under way, La Grande City Manager Robert Strope is suggesting a joint venture.

Earlier this year, Strope looked at a couple of options for relocating the city police department downtown.

Possible sites included the Verizon building on Adams Avenue and a former automobile showroom and garage at Chestnut Street and Jefferson Avenue owned by the Gene Hand family. Until recently, that building housed the Victory Christian Church.

Both the Verizon building and the showroom-garage were ruled out as a city police headquarters because of the costs of remodeling, Strope said Monday.

“It would cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to make either facility a viable option. At present, we do not have funding available,” Strope said during Monday’s meeting.

The city also has talked with the  Hand family about purchasing the lot behind the showroom and garage. Until recently, a used car dealership did business there. 

When the city decided it could not use the showroom building for a police station, the Hands proposed tearing it down and constructing a building for lease to the city on the empty lot. During those negotiations, the idea for a city-county facility began to emerge.

After formation of the court facilities task force, Strope and others raised the possibility of including the court in the proposed new justice center.

 “I think it’s really important to keep our law enforcement under one roof. To include the court in the package makes sense,” Strope said.

The task force was formed at the urging of Oregon Supreme Court Justice Paul De Muniz, who is leading an effort to improve courthouses around the state.

County Commissioner Nellie Hibbert, present at Monday’s meeting, said De Muniz has offered his expertise in funding matters. The justice has suggested urban renewal money, public-private partnerships and grants as possible sources.

IN THE WAY: The former auto show room and garage at Chestnut and Jefferson, pictured above, would be torn down to make way for the new justice center. - The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH

Strope said the city would rather buy than lease.

No cost estimates for the new justice center have been put forward, but it will be expensive.

Hibbert said she believes the project will have to rely chiefly on those “creative funding” sources and not taxpayer money.

“I don’t look for this going to the voters as a tax,” she said.

Strope said there is a chance La Grande Urban Renewal District funds could be used, though some changes would need to be made to the city’s urban renewal plan.

In other discussion Monday, Strope said the county jail, a part of the facility at Sixth and K, likely would not be moved downtown at first. But he added that the new building could be constructed in a way to allow addition of a jail later on.

“The jail is a high-dollar item. You might want to do it as an optional addition,” he said.

Sheriff Boyd Rasmussen, another work session participant, said one proposal is for the Oregon State Police to lease office space in the K Avenue building after the city and county agencies move out. The county-run jail would remain where it is.

Hibbert stressed that all ideas are in the talking stage now. Immediate tasks are to determine needs, locate a site and explore the funding opportunities.

“This is truly just the beginning of the process. There are lots of options on the table,” she said.