Cuyahoga County hires new real estate consultant to oversee contracts, likely including new jail site

CLEVELAND, Ohio – An actual property advisor employed on Monday could quickly assist advance plans to construct a brand new Cuyahoga County jail.

The county’s Board of Management authorized a $400,000 contract with CBRE Group, Inc., for “actual property strategic administration” companies, which might embrace value determinations, monitoring leases or aiding within the sale or buy of latest property.

In recommending the contract, Nichole English with the county’s Division of Public Works indicated the funding is usually wanted for routine work. However when questioned about how a lot of it the county fairly expects to spend earlier than the contract expires in 17 months, she stated it “will depend on how a lot work on the jail they need to do.”

At present, CBRE is contracted with the county prosecutor’s workplace to assist with jail planning, however there’s discuss of transferring that work – and the corresponding invoice – to the county, English stated. So, the county’s bills will rely “on how a lot of that work comes over,” she stated.

The contract comes because the county remains to be weighing whether or not to construct a brand new jail or renovate the prevailing facility. A 12-member Justice Middle Government Steering Committee charged with serving to to information that call beforehand voted in favor of constructing a brand new jail on a property exterior of downtown, and even helped slender an inventory of potential websites down to at least one most popular location, however it just lately backtracked.

Now, the committee is searching for a second assessment of what it might value to renovate the jail, and council is predicted to contemplate funding that examine subsequent week. The panel is also awaiting the outcomes of a deeper environmental examine to be taught if the once-toxic web site at 2700 Transport Highway is a viable location.

Nevertheless it’s unclear whether or not the steering committee’s uncertainty has stalled the county’s planning.

Council’s Committee of the Entire is scheduled to satisfy in govt session Tuesday to debate the acquisition or sale of property, although the agenda doesn’t specify which property or properties are being mentioned.

Allegro Actual Property Brokers and Advisors had served because the county’s actual property advisor for the previous 4 years and helped determine an inventory of potential areas for a brand new jail, however their contract expired on the finish of 2021. The county has been and not using a advisor since then and as soon as thought of ready to rent a brand new one till the following govt is elected, English stated, however current occasions led officers to the conclusion that “we actually do want these companies.”

Whereas Allegro utilized to remain on because the advisor, they misplaced the bid to CBRE, which English stated had extra expertise, together with with the county. Not solely was CBRE concerned in among the early jail planning, however the firm was additionally employed over a decade in the past to evaluate all county-owned properties, main officers to promote 13 buildings and buy the brand new county headquarters and storage facility.

The choice to vary consultants additionally comes after cleveland.com raised questions on a possible battle of curiosity with Allegro’s contract, contemplating the agency can be the itemizing agent for one of many properties being thought of for the brand new jail. That Ohio Job Prepared web site in Slavic Village is now being thought of as a possible place to relocate a container storage facility so as to liberate land on Transport Highway.