5 minute read
THE ALEXANDER CITY MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
STORY BY BRITTANY SMITH & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
Rust, raw sewage and mold are just some of the hot buttons that used to be discussed at city council work sessions. Those same complaints are what fueled the interest in building or purchasing a new building, perhaps one that could house all city departments under one roof. Those same conversations would later result in the purchase of a building deemed the Alexander City Municipal Complex.
On April 2, 2019, city officials signed paperwork to take ownership of the former Russell Sales Office and guesthouse. A sprawling 85,000-square foot building that sits on 56 acres just off U.S. Highway 280 in Alexander City.
The space in the new facility allows for all departments to be consolidated into one central hub, bringing about 200 of the city’s more than 300 employees to consolidate under one roof.
The significant change here: Past locations were scattered about on the downtown corridor in a multitude of buildings, some of which were in disarray and in severe need of repair.
It was the vision of the late Mayor Jim Nabors to bring all of the city employees together in one central location. It just so happened that the old Russell Sales building would make way for his vision to become a reality; however, after sitting vacant for nearly 20 years, the building was far from move-in ready.
The roof, once bronze, had faded to green and was more vulnerable than not; having leaked for years, the inside of the building was utterly damaged. Everything needed to be ripped out and totally renovated, but this was a project that the Alexander City City Council got behind.
The City hired architects JMR+H to evaluate the
~ Woody Baird
building. Due to their prestigious track record with previous renovations, such as the old Alabama Supreme Court building for the Retirement Systems of Alabama and many other municipal complexes throughout the state, city officials were confident that JMR+H could handle a large-scale project like that of the Alexander City Municipal building.
Central Contracting of Wetumpka was awarded the bid for renovations and worked hand-in-hand with JMR+H and city officials to ensure accuracy during demolition and the reconstruction phases of the project.
Upon initial demolition, Central Contracting of Wetumpka determined that the bones of the building were still in excellent shape and that it was just the roof and walls that suffered the most damage over the years while the building sat empty.
But the building no longer sits empty. The Alexander City Municipal Complex is now a bustling, businessoriented mecca, nestled right off of the main highway in Alexander City.
At the new municipal complex, citizens and visitors alike are greeted with smiles upon entrance. Visit the information desk to determine what department is where and exactly how to get there. The most common and sought-after area of the building is the utility payment center. It is located just through the main entrance and past the police station on the right, making it easily accessible to those needing to pay bills or have services connected.
Just past the utility office, the ceiling gives way to an
Building Better
Previous Pages: The old Russell Sales Office is now home to most of the City's employees; Above: Baird has put his own green thumb to work in the atrium.
atrium that was once home to exotic plants and trees, as well as a waterfall. During remodel, this feature was cleaned up and revived. New vegetation has been planted, and the waterfall, although slightly reconstructed, would once again cascade through rocky terrain and plummets into a serenity pool, never-ending.
Mayor of Alexander City, Curtis "Woody" Baird, has contributed to the plant life in the atrium and surrounding offices.
“I planted a banana tree on the bottom level, and just recently, I planted a pomegranate tree down there, too. We had to take some of the trees out originally, but we tried to retain as many as possible.”
Rocks and trees again surround the water feature, including the herb garden planted by Baird on the main level, right by the stairs, overlooking the waterfall.
The roof that adorns the atrium remains glass and steel, just like the original structure, and allows for natural light to pour into the building, a feature that the employees appreciate, Baird said. Tables and chairs also employ the atrium’s bottom level, giving visitors, officials, citizens or employees a comfortable spot to relax just outside of the city council chamber, which doubles as a courtroom. The chamber is set up with convertible chairs and tables that can be arranged in many ways. The lighting features are easily set at different levels, allowing for an ambient feel or a strict white light for those more serious moments in the courtroom. “When we have work sessions, I like to be able to see each other and talk,” Baird said. “So the council chamber and courtroom can be set up any way we want. It also has a great sound system and lighting system. We are working on a video system. I would love to get a good video system up and running.”
Baird said grant funding has helped to offset some of the expenses for technology. He asked for funds from an Alabama Municipal Electric Authority grant to purchase teleconference and projection equipment for the conference and employee training room. The employee training room resembles a high-tech college classroom.
The 911-dispatch center is state of the art and was funded by the Tallapoosa County E-911 Board. The center now houses four systems versus two, and contains multiple computers, screens, microphones and telephones and sits adjacent to the Emergency Operation Center.
“The EOC consists of radios or any electronic device that could be used in the state of emergency,” Baird said.
