A study analyzing office buildings of three divisions of the Salt Lake County Department of Human Services shows that the Kearns building is seriously overcrowded and the Redwood Road office building has physical problems and is too small to operate efficiently. New facilities are proposed near both areas.
"We were shocked," said Karen Wikstrom, economic and planning consultant, commenting on the small amount of space in the Kearns office. Commenting on the other facilities, Wikstrom said, "It looks as though things are pretty tight."The Kearns and downtown Salt Lake buildings have the "most critical immediate needs," according to the study. However, the cities of West Valley, Murray, South Salt Lake City and Sandy also need new facilities based on case load growth projections.
Results of the study, revealed Wednesday afternoon before the Social Services Interim Committee, also show that the office on 2835 S. Main requires renovation "to upgrade mechanical and electrical systems and to improve space planning," and the Midvale office requires renovation and additional parking and office space.
The study also recommends expansion for the Office of Recovery Services, presently located at 120 N. 200 West, because it is "somewhat crowded now." Projections for the Office of Recovery Services show the greatest need for building space of all the offices. By 1997, that office will need 84,000 square feet and by the year 2005, about 124,000 square feet.
The study covered building needs at nine locations of three divisions of the Division of Human Services, Office of Family Support, Office of Social Services and the Office of Recovery Services. Not included were the department administrative offices and the Division of Youth Corrections.
According to the study, the Division of Human Services has experienced rapid growth in demand for its services within the past decade. However only one new facility was brought on line. It stated that "many of the agency's offices are severely crowded (and) in addition, projected future growth cannot be accommodated in the existing facilities."
Norman G. Angus, executive director of the division, said, "We are in a world of hurt. We know there's a current need. We just don't have any room."
Yet, not only did the study cite immediate problems in the offices in Kearns and on Redwood Road, it reviewed the function and location of new offices and noted the growth and need for more parking spaces, floor area, building area or land development at the nine locations.
It also provided a solution, described in a year-by-year master plan for up to the next 15 years.
The recommended plan for the downtown Salt Lake office, for example, is to find an additional building within the area or seek a site for the construction of a new state-owned facility by the end of 1990.