LUCERNE — The Lake County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Redevelopment Agency moved Tuesday to issue a request for proposals to build and lease a mental health office building in Lucerne.
The county is seeking to locate the building on 13th Avenue, which leads to the “Lucerne Castle.”
Conceptually, staff is looking at the possibility of a two-story structure that would house mental health departments and professional offices on the top floor and provide commercial, retail space on the ground floor. Design is intended to reflect the elements of Lucerne”s current Swiss/Alpine theme.
The project proposes construction of a building that would provide 9,000 square feet for office, 8,000 square foot section for mental health services and 1,000 square feet of retail space. Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) is also intended to occupy space in the building.
Staff anticipates that the project would be the catalyst in the development of 13th Avenue, which staff said was the original vision for Lucerne. “This was master planned in the 1920s and we are trying to implement that vision through our redevelopment efforts,” Deputy Redevelopment Director Eric Seely said. “It would have that historic, downtown feel like the 1920s and ?30s but modernized.”
County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox said he thinks the project will assist in the elimination of blight in the area. “I think the values of those properties will start going up with the redevelopment of that area,” he said. “It was really planned to be like this in the start but it got lost in the Depression and whatever else happened.”
According to Mental Health Director Kristy Kelly, mental health”s second largest cliental group is located in the Lucerne/Nice area.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
