The BUG is dead and Wrightsville Beach is nearly packed to move.
That's the Building Utilization Group, and it disbanded Wednesday, March 10, after brokering about six months of talks among town staff on what to do with those leftover buildings following its move into the new public safety facility.
Scheduled to go before the board of aldermen on March 25, BUG rolled out its list of recommendations Wednesday to fundamentally alter the landscape of town departments and facilities.
If accepted by the board of aldermen as presented, reconfigurations and modifications will be slated for the administrative building, emergency services departments, the modular facility that currently houses dorms just south of the fire department, and the storage and maintenance warehouse.
Lanier Parking will move into the administrative building that sits along Gene Floyd Drive. Additionally, the reconfiguration of walls and doors in the admin building will give planning and inspections room to expand, a new location for the IT manager, vast conference and meeting room space and the first dedicated office for the mayor.
The small, boxy building that currently houses Lanier on Live Oak Drive may be leased to businesses once vacated.
Also overhauled will be the fire department to clear the way for storage space for the police and fire departments and Lanier Parking. BUG considered other options—like tearing it down for green space or modifying it to house a recreational facility or shelter—but those were abandoned once costs were projected.
Just south of the fire department sits a modular facility that currently serves as a dormitory for the fire department. With revenue coming up short and budget wrangling around the corner, BUG is recommending it be converted to office and meeting room space. As such the town may lease the space to service organizations or nonprofit groups like the flotilla.
Bulldozed will be the storage and maintenance facility to clear space for additional staff parking. Currently housing the Lanier and emergency services equipment, those items will be moved into the old fire department.
The parks and recreation department would stay where it is under the recommendations.
By December, the town is hoping to have all transitions complete. The public safety facility is projected to open in July and the emergency services departments are expected to start their move that same month, followed on the heels by the remaining departments.
But there are still a lot of discussions to be had. Costs of modifications will depend on the building's use, and there are a lot of options for the board of aldermen to consider.
"On the surface it looks like an easy process but it's not," said town manager Bob Simpson. "There are a lot of issues."
