More Offices On The Move

GRACIE HART

Last year the University of Mary Washington spent approximately $190,000 to rent office space a mile off campus at the intersection of Rt. 1 and Rt. 3.
This year that figure has jumped to a quarter of a million dollars as the school has taken on additional space to house a number of offices, including Publications, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Auditing, and Information Technology.
“The landlord had contacted us when space adjacent to the space that we already had became available,” said Vice President for Business and Finance Richard Pearce. “We knew that we were going to need the extra space to accommodate for the upcoming renovation projects so it just made since to take it,”
The school acquired 2,406 additional sq. ft. at $58, 236 per year, giving the University a total of 10,823 sq. ft. of space at Centre Court for a total of $248,929 per year. The rental agreement is for five years.
“The rental is being paid for out of the operating budget with part of it also being paid for out of the Lee Hall renovation budget so the money is coming from a mixture [of places],” said Pearce. “We spent about $37,000 renovating the space putting up walls, offices, sprinkler systems, cubicles, etc.  We also purchased furniture for the space.”
Once the Lee Hall renovations are finished, a number of the offices now at Centre Court will move back onto campus; at that time, offices affected by other renovation projects will be moved off campus to Centre Court.
One of the new offices set to move into Centre Court by mid-October is Design Services, currently housed in the basement of Seacobeck.
“Design Services is a large operation and they need a fair amount of space to lay things out,” said Pearce.  “Also, the space that Information Technology has [currently occupied in Centre Court] will be expanded.”
The space in Seacobeck currently used by Design Services may be converted into additional space for the Office of Student Activities and Community Service, which currently occupies much of the Seacobeck basement.
“OSACS would like some additional space.  They may decide to use the old Design Services space,” said Pearce.  “Nothing has been determined yet.”
“We have a new staff person—a new position—and the person is sharing an office with a student group,” said Student Activities Director Joe Mollo. “There’s been talk [of additional space] but that’s it.  No decisions are even close to being made.”
Teresa Mannix, director of News and Public Information, whose office is already located in Centre Court, is pleased with her location.
“I think it’s great. Everything is new. I’m lucky to be over here,” she said. “It makes it enjoyable to be here everyday.”
With the upcoming changes, approximately 40 people will be working in Centre Court.