Planning is underway for two new facilities to consolidate operations for Hillsborough County Public Works, Public Utilities and Fleet Management in the south and east areas of the region.
The Public Works South Service Unit, now at 8718 Old Big Bend Rd., will move to the Public Utilities Maintenance Facility property at 10707 Rhodine Rd. in Riverview and the Public Works East Service Unit at 4744 Sydney Rd. and the Countywide Service Unit at 13173 N. U.S. Hwy. 301 will both move to the Valrico Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant property at 1167 N. Dover Rd.
According to Hillsborough County Community Relations Coordinator Michelle Van Dyke, there are three main reasons for the moves.
“The proposal is aimed at providing more efficient and effective public safety services by consolidating operations into new facilities that would require significantly less upkeep, have more space and more effective design for current operations and that can withstand hurricane-force winds in order to protect employees and equipment and provide vital response,” said Van Dyke.
As the new facilities will be using existing county property, costs will not have to factor in the purchase of land. The properties currently housing the facilities will be offered to other county departments once the new locations are operational.
According to Mansour Yazdi with Hillsborough County Real Estate and Facilities Services, who is the project manager for the change, a budget for the project will not be released until planning is out of the design phase. He hopes that construction will start in early 2019 and that the buildings will be operational by early 2020.
“Our experience during Hurricane Irma demonstrated how vital a safe place for workers and to protect equipment is during an emergency,” said Van Dyke. “Existing operations that play a vital role in protecting public safety before and after disasters are located in numerous locations throughout the county in aging facilities. This move will help us provide better service.”
For more information, visit the “Consolidated and Hardened Maintenance Facilities page at www.HCFLGov.net/CountyProjects.
