KINGMAN – Scores of Mohave County employees will abandon worn out facilities this fall when they relocate inside the brand-new Legal Services Center at 415 Pine St. The two-story building is under construction just across the street from the four-story Law and Justice Center in downtown Kingman.
Mesa-based Concord General Contracting was awarded a $14.1-million contract to construct the almost 39,000 sq. ft. facility. The expectation for initial occupancy by the County Attorney, Victim’s Advocate, Legal Advocate, Public Defender, Legal Defender and Indigent Defense Services (IDS) offices is late Oct.
County Attorney Matt Smith has worked in the same building for 38.5-years. He said his staff is eager for the move.
“People are very excited and looking forward to the new building,” Smith said. “It’s something that’s been long-needed and long-awaited.”
Legal Defender Ron Gilleo said he’s been in the same space almost 27 years. His offices will be demolished.
“Our building, to be frank, looks like crap. It does not even look like a professional building,” Gilleo said. “Our air conditioning/heating system is kind of weird. Years ago, the sewer got backed up when the old jail was down the road and all the sewage came up into my office and into the carpet and it went up the sides of the walls … They have fixed the leaks in the roof just over and over through the years.”
Indigent Defense Services Director Blake Schritter knows he’ll enjoy modern day plumbing in his new work space.
“The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is having hot water,” Schritter said. “We’re on the top story of an older building and getting hot water to this floor is pretty difficult.”
Legal Defender Jon Gillenwater and his staff occupy the building adjacent to Schritter’s, the historic St. John’s United Methodist Church, constructed in 1917.
“We’ve really enjoyed working out of an historic building. It’s been fun to enjoy the cool architecture and the columns,” Gillenwater said. “But, yeah, we’re excited to move into a new building with everything updated.”
The local legal leaders believe new environment and equipment and co-location will increase efficiency and productivity and provide room for growth. They also think a new facility should help improve recruiting .
The county currently has no plan for future use of the property and structures that will be vacated. And Gilleo is certain of an unpleasant byproduct of eventual concentration of so many legal community employees in a few blocks of space.
“It’s going to be a little messy parking down here,” Gilleo said. “I wish they would have done what I suggested, which was build a parking garage. I know those things are expensive, but we’re going to have a parking problem.”
Gilleo said any parking structure or space that can accommodate the Monday through Friday workforce, can also serve the downtown district, its events and tourism.
One hundred new parking spaces will be provided when Gilleo’s office area is torn down, cleared and paved.
