Ground was broken on June 26 for something that will provide vital services to people with disabilities in Gadsden, Etowah County and surrounding areas, and serve as a symbol for the value of collaboration.
The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services' new local home will be on land owned by the City of Gadsden behind Burger 101 and Jack's in the 200 block of East Broad Street.
Local and state officials braved the heat for the groundbreaking; estimated construction time for the building is a year.
It will be nearly twice the size of the department's current location on Gadsden State Community College's East Broad Street campus. ADRS is moving out of that site because of existing construction on Gadsden State's new Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Skills Training Center and planned construction on the Interstate 759 extension.
To help maintain the department's local presence — and keep high-paying jobs in the community — ADRS, the city and its Public Building Authority and the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority came up with a unique way to finance the new site suggested by the IDA's executive director, David Hooks.
The Public Building Authority is issuing revenue bonds and is subleasing the financing to ADRS. The department's rental costs are required to cover both the principal and interest on the bonds, and will fluctuate if necessary to maintain that.
The city isn't responsible for any debt service and its credit ratings won't be affected.
“This unique project keeps a state agency in East Gadsden that delivers critical services for people with disabilities and those looking to improve their position in the workforce,” Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford said.
Ford thanked Hooks, ADRS Commissioner Jane Elizabeth Burdeshaw and state legislators “for working with the city to find an innovative solution that will result in another high-quality facility added to our East Broad Street corridor.”
He said given the opening of GSCC's new training center and the pending I-759 extension, “This building and its programs will help us recruit and retain local businesses and industries for decades."
ADRS' new building will be 20,852 square feet — the current site is 11,062 square feet and Burdeshaw said the department has outgrown it — and will house 40 full-time employees.
It will reflect a $4.8 million capital investment and provide cutting-edge facilities that Burdeshaw indicated will allow the department to provide services across Northeast Alabama, not just in Gadsden and Etowah County.
According to its website, ADRS seeks “to enable children and adults with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential”through early intervention, children’s rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs.”
The new East Gadsden site will have physical therapy and orthotics facilities, audiology suites, a feeding clinic and nutrition area, exam rooms, nurses' areas and staff offices.
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