The challenge
In 2013, an electrical fire in the basement of the Old County Building displaced more than 100 workers. This prompted the Macomb County Office of County Executive and Board of Commissioners to take a closer look at the County’s facilities and use of space.
More than 650 staff work in the Macomb County Central Campus, which is comprised of 440,000 square feet in five buildings: the Old County Building, Administrative Building, 16th Circuit Court, Talmer Building, and Clemens Center.
The solution
Macomb County engaged Plante Moran Realpoint (PMR), formerly Plante Moran Cresa, to conduct a long-term space utilization study and facility/parking assessment to determine how to better utilize department space within the campus.
The Office of County Executive, along with the Board of Commissioners, adopted PMR's plan. With the comprehensive conceptual budget and schedule PMR created, they approved funding for a three-year capital improvement plan that would include phased renovations to the facilities within the Central Campus.
The benefit
Taking into account public access, adjacency between roles, department function, anticipated growth, security, parking, and available space, PMR designed a plan that did more than offer a solution: it served as a means to make the central campus more efficient, accommodate growth without the need to acquire additional space, and lower occupancy costs.
PMR has since been retained to act as the program manager for the improvement project, which includes renovations to each building, demolition of an aging parking structure, and construction of a new 600-space parking deck located behind the Administrative Building. Construction is expected to last 36 months with a proposed project cost of $65 million.
