FRESNO, Calif. — Fresno County supervisors have approved a long-term facilities plan that could bring major changes to several county properties in downtown Fresno, including the historic Del Webb Building.
The county’s facilities master plan comes with an estimated $426.5 million price tag and includes new construction, renovations, department moves and possible demolition of some aging county buildings.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved the plan last Tuesday.
Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez said the county began looking at its properties more closely after completing a needs assessment that showed the high cost of maintaining its existing buildings.
“We obviously got an eye-popping amount close to half a billion dollars for just the maintenance of the current existing buildings,” Chavez said.
Chavez said that assessment led county officials to consider which properties should be renovated, replaced or potentially demolished based on the long-term costs.
As part of the plan, several county departments are expected to move into two buildings the county purchased near Ventura and O Street.
“The CAO’s office, the board of supervisors, the chambers, our county council, and then also our sheriff will be moving to the new buildings that we purchased on the corner of Ventura and O Street,” Chavez said.
The changes are expected to happen in phases.
Chavez said the first phase he anticipates would involve demolishing the existing courthouse building, allowing the state to build a new courthouse at the site.
Fresno County Board of Supervisors weigh $426.5M plan for downtown properties. (Photo: FOX26)
Renovations are also planned for the Hall of Records and the Crocker Building.
Fresno County Board of Supervisors weigh $426.5M plan for downtown properties. (Photo: FOX26)
Why consider demolition? Chavez says some of the county’s older buildings face significant maintenance and infrastructure needs.
“It’s super expensive to renovate older buildings because they don’t have the codes. They don’t have ADA accessibility, and they don’t have the infrastructure. We still have buildings downtown that have the old clay sewer pipelines that are tiny and are not sufficient for the population that we have now,” he said.
Chavez said building new from the ground up could be more cost-effective than trying to renovate some of the county’s oldest buildings.
The historic Del Webb Building is among the properties the county is considering tearing down.
Fresno County Board of Supervisors weigh $426.5M plan for downtown properties. (Photo: FOX26)
But Chavez stressed that its future has not been decided.
Community interest in preserving the building could keep other options on the table.
“There’s opportunity to again try to preserve that building and maybe turn it into a housing or maybe office space or a combination of both,” Chavez said.
Chavez said the county would need to find the right buyer or investor who could take on the project and address the costs associated with the aging building.
The Del Webb Building’s future could ultimately depend on whether a viable redevelopment or preservation plan can be found.
However, if there is a buyer, the county would still have to address the building’s deferred maintenance.
Chavez emphasized that the county has not made a final decision.
“There was no decision made, by the way,” Chavez said. “We just got kind of a summary of all the properties, parcels, land, and we’ll be making a decision down the road.”
He anticipates decisions could come during the county’s next budget cycle in 2027-2028.
The county is still working out the details of the plan, including how to pay for the estimated $426.5 million plan.
Chavez said the county could consider putting money up front or using bonds to finance the work. He noted that borrowing costs are also a factor the county will have to consider.
The overall build-out is expected to take years. Chavez estimates the project could take 10 to 15 years to complete.
“It’s a big cost. So, we have to really space it out and phase it in,” Chavez said.
He also warned that delaying the work could mean higher construction costs.