NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 10, 2015
CONTACT: Dana Kazel, Communications Manager
218-725-5049 (office) • 218-591-2219 (cell)
St. Louis County celebrates completion of
Government Services Center
The $21 million renovation of the St. Louis County Government Services Center – the largest building project in the County’s history – is now finished. To celebrate the completion of this nearly two-year project and the convenience it will provide to citizens seeking County services, the County Board will join with project partners to host a ribbon cutting and open house on Tuesday, September 15, beginning at 1 p.m. The ceremony, which will include a blessing of the building, will take place on the plaza outside the Government Services Center (GSC) at 320 West 2nd Street in Duluth.
The GSC serves more public visitors each year than any other County building, and now is expected to serve even more. With renovations complete, it houses nine different departments including Public Health and Human Services, Planning and Community Development, Land and Minerals, Environmental Services, County Attorney, Human Resources, Information Technology and Property Management, as well as Arrowhead Regional Corrections. Previously, these departments were spread across five buildings throughout downtown Duluth.
“This is about providing better, more efficient service,” said Commissioner Pete Stauber, Chair of the County Board. “The County Board has been working for years to achieve this goal of moving all county services into county-owned buildings. This makes it more convenient for our citizens to access the services they need, all in one place. It also enables County employees to do their jobs more efficiently across departments.”
The newly renovated building is also more efficient from an energy perspective. New mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems are estimated to reduce energy consumption by 40- to 60-percent each year. LED lights are sensor controlled to automatically adjust to maximize use of natural light coming through new triple-paned windows. Meanwhile, window ledges, wall tiles and break room furniture are all made from recycled materials.
“In essence, we’ve recycled a seven-story, 32-year-old building, and given it a new life cycle,” said Tony Mancuso, Director of Property Management for St. Louis County. “The Government Services Center has always been structurally sound, but it suffered from serious mechanical and design problems, and indoor air quality issues. By renovating the building, we now are providing an easy access point for citizens, a safe work environment for employees, and more efficient service by reducing redundancies that occur when departments are spread out across numerous buildings that we didn’t own.”
Partnering with the County on this project is Perkins+Will, for architectural design. Johnson Wilson Constructors served as general contractor. Gausman and Moore Associates provided mechanical and electrical engineering design. Krech Ojard and Associates served as project management partner. Hunt Electric was the electrical contractor, and Shannon’s was the mechanical contractor. Jerry Hall and Mike Tessier are the co-project managers for St. Louis County Property Management.
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