By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Mesa Design Review Board met Nov. 18 to discuss proposed elevations and landscape designs for a planned 24KSF office building at the NEC of University Drive and 80th Street. No action was taken.
The building would be used as an office for the Arizona Department of Child Safety. According to the narrative submitted by Bramic Design Group, “The Department of Child Safety provides various services to vulnerable, abused and neglected children. Given the demands placed on the agency in the City of Mesa and the surrounding areas with increases in the reporting of child abuse cases, DCS is seeking to expand its capabilities in the East Valley. This office building is specifically intended to provide the capability for their agency to meet the critical needs of the citizens, families, and children of Mesa and surrounding communities.”
The building’s primary purpose would be to serve as a workspace for social workers to process case files for families in the DCS system. There would also be a front office area to accommodate families for court-ordered visitations and meetings between families, legal representatives and DCS’s team with the Arizona Attorney General assistant staff.
Interestingly, BEX research staff did not identify any public funding for the project, and Bramic Design Group is not on the State’s list of on-call architects. It appears property owner Innovative Technology Development Group plans to build the ground-up project with DCS as the intended tenant.
The current staff count is 77, but the plan allows for additional cubicle space for case workers. Total parking provided under the plan would be 130 spaces. Only 64 are required.
The property owner is Innovative Technology Development Group, LLC. The occupant will be the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Bramic Design Group, PLLC is the design firm and project representative.
