STATE LEASING OF OFFICE SPACE IS BIG BUSINESS

From the capital at Jefferson City to metropolitan St. Louis to rural towns, state government leases office building space all over Missouri to help keep the wheels of government turning smoothly.

The Missouri Division of Facilities Management, which is responsible for all leased property acquired for use by selected agencies statewide, lists 14 leases in Cape Girardeau. They encompass more than 144,000 square feet at a cost of more than $1.5 million.

Statewide, Missouri government has more than 600 leases on office space, accounting for 3.7 million square feet with a price tag of about $37.1 million.

"Statewide, our leases average about $10 a square foot," said Carl Greeson of the Division of Facilities Management. "They'll average about $15 in some metropolitan areas."

Leases in Cape Girardeau County range from $7.28 to $15.40 a square foot, from a 600-square-foot Department of Revenue office at 707 Mount Auburn Road to the 32,800-square-foot complex at 3014 Blattner Ave., which houses branches of four different state agencies.

"Leasing is less expensive than building," explains Thomas J. Shea, state leasing coordinator for the Office of Administration for the Southeast Missouri area. "And, it offers an economic boost to local communities."

There are other advantages.

"If you outgrow a building, you can find another one," said Shea. And, he added, the state doesn't have to worry about selling a building if an agency relocates.

Two offices moved into new leased facilities last year in Cape Girardeau -- a Division of Youth Services office to provide a day treatment center for youths under supervision of Department of Social Services and the Missouri Probation and Parole office. Both are on Armstrong Street, and the two share a parking lot.

Missouri government has seven leased offices in Scott County, three in Perry County and a couple in Bollinger County.

The largest office facility in Scott County is the 16,500-square-foot Family Services office at 808 Hunter in Sikeston. Other offices include legal services, economic development, Missouri Veterans Commission and another Probation and Parole office.

A new Probation and Parole office has been established in Perry County, a 2,482-square-foot facility at 12 Wichern Road in Perryville. Family services also has offices in Perry County and in Marble Hill in Bollinger County.

The Division of Facilities Management was created in 1993. Prior to that time, the building management and statewide leasing responsibilities had been assigned to the Division of Design and Construction. Facilities Management also operates, maintains and manages state-owned office buildings and various other structures.

The leasing operations part of the division is responsible for the acquisition of necessary space through the lease process. A competitive public bid process is used to acquire leased space.

The leasing staff conducts an annual analysis of expiring leases for possible consolidation with other state agencies. Such analysis is conducted with an eye to cost and convenience for taxpayers.

Those interested in leasing property to Missouri's government can write: Division of Facilities Management, Leasing Section, 3225 W. Truman Blvd., Suite 100, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109. The phone number is (573) 751-1003.

STATE OFFICE SPACE

Cape County (Cape Girardeau)

* Mental Health: 1025 N. Sprigg, 32,265 square feet.

* Mental Health: 1217 N. Kingshighway, 1,116 square feet.

Department of Economic Development, 760 S. Kingshighway, 11,482 square feet.

* Department of Social Services: Youth Services, 130 S. Frederick, 6,596 square feet; Family services, 10,464, 130 S. Frederick, 6,596 square feet; Division of Aging, 130 S. Frederick, 840 square feet.

* Attorney general: 2860 Kage Road, 2,500 square feet.

* Department of Health: 710 S. Expressway, 3,838 square feet.

Social Services, Division of Child Support, 710 S. Expressway, 15,487 square feet.

* Revenue Department, Division of Compliance, 600 square feet, 1707 N. Mount Auburn Road.

* Social Services, Division of Youth Services, One University Plaza, 10,318 square feet.

* Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Vocational Rehabilitation, 3014 Blattner, 22,890 square feet.

* Revenue Department, Division of Compliance, 3014 Blattner, 2,947 square feet.

* Public Safety Liquor Control, 3014 Blattner, 2, 575 square feet.

* Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation, 3014 Blattner, 4,388 square feet.

* Board of Probation and Parole, 3463 Armstrong Rd., 6,686 square feet.

* Division of Youth Services, 3445 Armstrong Rd., 8,274 square feet.

Scott County (Sikeston)

* Social Services, legal services, 205 N. New Madrid, 1,419 square feet.

* Economic Development, 203 N. New Madrid, 900 square feet.

* Missouri Veterans Commission, 208 W. Center, 470 square feet.

* Labor and Industrial Relations, 208 W. Center, 900 square feet.

Family Services, 808 Hunter, 16,500 square feet.

* Division of Aging, 1001 Lynn, 2,312 square feet.

* Probation and Parole, 202 W. Front, 8011 square feet.

Perry County (Perryville)

* Probation and Parole, 13 E. Wicher Road, 2,482 square feet.

* Family Services, 300 Perry Plaza, 3,884 square feet.

* Division of Aging, 300 Perry Plaza, 1,344 square feet.

Bollinger County (Marble Hill)

* Family Services, 300 Highway 34 West.

* Division of Aging, 300 Highway 34 West, 1,331 square feet.