Washington County Public Health is looking for a new address and the board of health voted Friday to recommend to the supervisors to move forward with renting to own space in the former McCleery Calendar Factory building. Jim Hobart with Hobart Historic Restoration presented three options for the department to occupy approximately 11,000 square feet of the building, with the second floor rented out to another commercial entity. Trevor Martin on the board of health said it’s a good location and there won’t be another option to build new at this price any time soon.

The option the board is recommending to the supervisors to review has a base rent of $8 per square foot with rent to own payments at $2.50 per square foot, which equals $145,000 over the five year rent period. The plan also includes $250,000 from tax increment financing with the City of Washington and $350,000 from the county upfront. Hobart said they can adjust the plan should the county want to provide less upfront. With the proposed option the total investment after five years would be $1.5 million and the building would be owned by the county in its entirety.

Hobart explained these figures are estimates and he has 30 days to decide if it will be a commercial space or residential. Next, the supervisors will consider the decision by the board of health to move forward with the building and preferably this option.