Ground broken on new facilities
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press Tuesday, June 17, 2003.
By HEATHER LAKE
Valley Press Staff Writer
 

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ROSAMOND - Illustrating what architect Al Carlson called a "renaissance of quality" for Rosamond, a shiny new $300 shovel broke ground Monday morning on a new Rosamond Community Services District facility.
The ceremonial shovel will be displayed in one of the two new buildings that are expected to be completed in about nine months.

The official beginning of the $2.5 million project marks the next step to what will eventually be a contemporary community services complex for Rosamond, officials said.

Excavation work began last week on the 12 acres north of Rosamond Boulevard on 35th Street West, adjacent to the Wanda Kirk Library.

After 32 years packed into an old chicken ranch office, district employees are glad to see dirt moving on the project that has been in the works for eight years.

"It's really nice to get to the point we're actually getting some work done," said Sherry DeLano, district general manager.

The contract was awarded last month to Randy Speed of Webb Brothers Construction, which worked for Palmdale on the financial services building and the council chambers.

With earth movers busy on location Monday, concrete work is expected to begin in two weeks on the 13,000-square-foot operations facility and the 6,000-square-foot facilities building, Carlson said.

Plans include a drive-up window that will allow customers to pay their bills from their vehicles, a board room, conference room, maintenance shop and storage space.

Design work was done in a way that complements the library's color theme including the same green metal roof.

"We picked the best of what was there to make it harmonious," Carlson said.

Plans to construct a new sheriff's station and a fire station on 2 acres north of the district's new buildings also are in the early stages. Carlson said he is working with the county's architect in hopes of maintaining a continuous theme.

"Everybody's going to be a good neighbor in this complex," Carlson said.

Calling it a "great day for the community of Rosamond," Tom Loomis, an elected member of the district board of directors, said the building should easily serve the district for 50 to 100 years with plenty of room for expansion as Rosamond continues to grow.

The property also is flexible in terms of how it might be utilized in the future with plenty of storage and high-tech communications and security systems, Carlson said.

The $2.5 million price tag is a "frugal" one considering the size of the project, the architect added. The operation's facility will house a new automated system to monitor wells and tanks in the district that now serves 3,700 customers. The system will reduce the need for manpower by eliminating the need for three trips to each well daily. The address of the new facility will be 3179 35th St. West.
 

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