Item:
Title
Lease Agreement - Durham Crisis Response Center at 101 E Morgan Street
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: July 13, 2020
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve the attached Lease Agreement between Durham County and the Durham Crisis Response Center at 101 E. Morgan St., Durham, NC 27701, and to authorize the County Manager to execute the Lease Agreement. This is a 5-year lease at the lease rate of $1.00 per year.
Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC) is the sole provider of comprehensive shelter and support services for those in need of help in the aftermath of domestic, sexual and family violence and human trafficking. DCRC has adopted the Family Justice Center (FLC) model for bringing needed social and legal services to their clients rather than having to send them to services providers in various locations around the community. DCRC discussed the breadth of the need for these services in Durham County, and asked for the County’s support of their plans to expand their current capacity for service delivery at the Joint City County Committee meeting on December 10, 2019. Specifically, they requested the provision of lease space in a City or County owned building, provided at a nominal rate.
At the follow-up meeting on March 10, 2020, Peri Manns, Interim Director of Engineering and Environmental Services, was tasked with evaluating DCRC’s needs and whether they could be accommodated at the former DCVB Building at 101 E Morgan St Kent Wallace-Meggs, Executive Director of DCRC stated that the DCVB Building would accommodate their needs, and that they would seek grant funding for a portion of the costs to up-fit the space. Since that time, County staff have met with Mr. Wallace-Meggs and his team to identify the priority needs for upfit of the space (i.e. carpet, paint, furnishings, security). DCRC has been awarded a $75,000 grant to pay for a portion of these costs, primarily related to security, IT, and telephony design and installation. The deadline to spend these grant funds is October 1, 2020.
Cost estimates are being prepared for the full scope of work needed to open the facility, and staff will present the plans to the JCCC at their regular meeting on August 11, 2020.
Durham City and County staffs met with Mr. Wallace-Meggs and his staff in January 2020 to help us understand their space needs, and to discuss options. It was determined that the City did not have any available space that would meet DCRC’s needs. While the total square footage of the DCVB Building is less than desired, the layout, location, and availability of parking make this building very suitable for the purpose intended.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This agenda item supports Goal 2: Health and Well-being for All.
Resource Persons: Peri Manns, Interim Director - Engineering and Environmental Services; Nancy Mitchell, Sr. Real Estate Officer
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached Lease Agreement between Durham County and the Durham Crisis Response Center at 101 E. Morgan St., Durham, NC 27701, and to authorize the County Manager to execute the lease agreement.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________