Sedgwick County approves completing Reagan building renovations

The county hopes to finish renovating the former IRS building downtown by December, bringing a years-long effort to move into the building close to an end.

Sedgwick County commissioners unanimously approved a $1.3 million contract with Key Construction for renovations to the Ronald Reagan Building at 271 W. Third St.

The project would renovate the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the six-story building to house the Aging Department, Geographic Information Services, the Appraiser’s Office and Comcare’s administration.

The Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department, Metropolitan Area Planning Department and Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization are already on the first three floors.

Chairman Dave Unruh called this week’s vote “the last piece of the puzzle” to move into the building, which a divided commission bought in 2014 for $4.9 million.

“I’m finally delighted that we’re making full use of that facility,” Unruh said. “I’m just glad that all commissioners are of one mind that this is valuable space.”

County public information officer Kate Flavin said the six-month construction phase would likely last from the beginning of June through the end of November. Departments would be moved in by December or next January.

Moving the appraiser, aging and Comcare offices into the building would create $388,154 in annual lease savings, according to Tania Cole, interim Operations Support Services director. Geographic Information Services is already in the downtown courthouse.

“I’m glad to get the (Ronald) Reagan Building behind us,” Commissioner Jim Howell said this week.

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Sedgwick County approves completing Reagan building renovations."