Allegan County is celebrating renovations at its County Services Building that will allow for expanded services and ease of access to county departments.
The county will host an open house 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 at the newly remodeled County Services Building, 3283 122nd Ave. The building will be open for self-guided tours. For details, call County Administration at (269) 673-0239.
Customer service staff have noticed more customers coming into the County Services Building and do it easier, Executive Director of Services Dan Wedge says.
“People seem to find it easy to get in, get what they need, and get back out again,” Wedge says.
Allegan County officials planned ahead for the expansion at the courthouse and County Services Building and will not need to issue a bond or otherwise borrow money for the $10 million project — a fraction of the cost for potential new construction, county officials say. The county has a history of repurposing buildings to save money, from the corrections center and sheriff’s office (a former factory) to its mental health facility (a former big box store).
“I call it the Allegan model,” County Commissioner and Board Chairman Jim Storey says. “Besides the impressive cost savings, the bonus to residents and others conducting business with county offices is convenient parking at the entrance and offering quick in-and-out transactions. It truly puts residents first."
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Courtesy Allegan County Construction is progressing on the Allegan County Services Building. Construction is now almost entirely complete.
The county’s 2021 strategic plan called to move any non-court-related functions to the County Services Building with the intent of developing courthouse space for court functions, making efficient use of available space, creating easier access to services for customers, and saving significant money over new construction.
The principal offices of the elected officials and related services will still be available in the courthouse, so the public won’t lose access to their elected officials such as the county register of deeds, drain commissioner, and treasurer. The county clerk also operates as the clerk of the Circuit Court and is expected to remain in the courthouse.
However, by making county services available in the Dumont Lake Campus building on 122nd Avenue, the public can avoid going through security to perform simple tasks such as obtaining a passport.
The Board of Commissioners approved the final design plans last summer and work began at the beginning of 2024. Construction in the County Services Building is all but complete, Wedge says.
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Courtesy Allegan CountyAllegan County will host an open house at its County Services Building 4-6 p.m. Oct. 10.
The county
Equalization Department moved into its new office space this summer. Department Director Matt Wollford says he and his team are thrilled with the remodel and relocation within the County Services Building.
“Now, with modern office layout and design elements, the equalization team is able to collaborate with flexibility and ease using the latest technology to support meetings in the office or over Zoom. We love our new area and are thankful that our whole building is getting a better modern layout for today’s work environment post-COVID,” Wollford says. “On top of that, every citizen visiting the County Services Building will be able to be served in our new customer service area. I think it’s going to be a pleasant surprise to the public when they see the new offices.“
The
Register of Deeds office moved from the Allegan County Courthouse to the County Services Building earlier this month.
As work continues in the Courthouse, additional relocation is planned for later this fall and after the first of the year.
The County Services Building (CSB) houses several county services:
- Office of the County Administrator
- Board of Commissioners
- Equalization
- Facilities Management
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Services, including Geographic Information System (GIS) and Project Management
- Parks & Recreation
- Register of Deeds
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