SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Work has begun on a three-building complex in South Salem that will serve as northwest region headquarters for Oregon State Police.
Nearly 400 state employees will work at the complex when it opens in the spring of 2016, the Statesman Journal reported (https://stjr.nl/1uSTa0P ) on Monday.
The new complex is specifically designed for the state police, unlike the agency’s leased space - a collection of buildings previously occupied by retailers.
Rick Willis, director of administrative serves for the state police, said consolidating offices should make the operation more efficient.
“It’s very close to I-5, so that’s another big plus for us,” Willis said.
The Capitol Patrol will maintain an office on the Capitol Mall, but officers will begin their shift at the new building.
The prospect of a big empty space at the previous site concerns neighbors there.
“It’s a loss. The presence of public safety in the area was a positive,” said Don Russo, chairman of the Northgate Neighborhood Association
Russo worries it may take a long time for the property to find new tenants, adding to the struggling neighborhood’s problems with blight.
At the new property in South Salem, the state will pay monthly rent of about $143,348, according to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.
Administration Services spokesman Matt Shelby said the rent is exactly what the state now pays for space at the locations to be relocated.
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Information from: Statesman Journal, https://www.statesmanjournal.com
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