ASHLAND — A new county office building could start taking shape, at least conceptually, starting in May.
Ashland County commissioners are seeking statements of qualifications from firms willing to build the new, 13,500 square-foot building they hope to situate on the former Ashland Middle School site along Cottage Street.
Commissioners will accept statements until April 1. The board will then select the top three firms, request pricing proposals and begin contract negotiations with the “top-ranked firm.”
“This is a qualification-based selection process,” reads the commissioner’s request for qualifications. “Firms that have submitted pre-qualification materials within the past year may also be considered. Firms should not submit bids, price estimates or project specific proposals at this time.”
The building — which has been estimated to cost $6 million — is expected to house the county auditor, treasurer, recorder and tax map offices. All of those offices are currently housed within the Ashland County courthouse. The title department, also within the courthouse, will be moved to vacant space at the dog shelter along Baney Road.
Commissioners hope the design phase to be between May and September, with construction possibly starting by November of this year.
Change in plans
Talks for a new office building or courthouse have occurred since March 2023, when commissioners bought an occupied house on Church Street. The plan, at the time, was to demolish the house and build a new office building or courthouse.
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Building a new courthouse proved to be well outside the commissioner’s budget.
So commissioners decided to pursue the construction of a smaller administrative building on the 1.7-acre lot on Cottage Street. They purchased the property in October for $400,000, according to real estate records.
Commissioners plan to use a rubric when choosing a firm to construct a new building. The process was also used for the construction of the dog shelter along Baney Road.