Something’s missing in downtown Cumming.
Three county buildings that once stood at 101 East Maple St. and 202 Old Buford Road, near the Forsyth County Detention Center, were recently demolished.
Forsyth County Manager Doug Derrer explained that the buildings, deemed no longer valuable, were razed “to allow for future progress.”
“While future plans for this property have not been determined, previous discussions have contemplated the property as a potential location for sheriff’s headquarters and possible judicial annex,” he said.
Derrer said the county “strives to plan carefully and thoughtfully” in order to best serve the future needs of the community.
“This property and any potential future uses of it will certainly be given that same careful consideration,” he said.
The buildings on East Maple housed the county extension service and natural resources conservation service.
Those on Old Buford were once home to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division annex and the CID lab.
The extension service and natural resources conservation service have been moved to the Forsyth County Juvenile Justice Center at 875 Lanier 400 Parkway.
The sheriff’s criminal investigations division has moved to 475 Tribble Gap Road.
Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton confirmed that the demolition site was considered in 2004 as a possibility for a new headquarters and judicial annex.
Paxton said a $65 million bond referendum for a jail and courthouse package, which voters sided against in March 2004, could have been used to build administrative offices at the site.
“It seems to me like even though that was a potential site for a headquarters building, there was some discussion or concern that there would not be enough parking to meet code requirements,” Paxton said.
“It seems to me that was one of the stumbling blocks that also had to be overcome.”
Four years later, voters again rejected a bond referendum that would have funded sheriff ‘s headquarters, this time off Veterans Memorial Parkway closer to Ga. 400.
In that same 2008 election, voters also dismissed a separate bond referendum for a new detention center. The current facility, near the site of the razed buildings, is crowded and 34 years old.
As for the sheriff’s crime scene technicians, they are currently working out of an office building on East Maple that was once used by supervisors in the criminal investigations division.
They are also using a small vehicle processing lab near the Sheriff’s North Precinct on Keith Bridge Road until a new facility is completed.
The CID headquarters will not be torn down, however its future use has not been determined, said Jodi Gardner, county spokeswoman.
Three county buildings that once stood at 101 East Maple St. and 202 Old Buford Road, near the Forsyth County Detention Center, were recently demolished.
Forsyth County Manager Doug Derrer explained that the buildings, deemed no longer valuable, were razed “to allow for future progress.”
“While future plans for this property have not been determined, previous discussions have contemplated the property as a potential location for sheriff’s headquarters and possible judicial annex,” he said.
Derrer said the county “strives to plan carefully and thoughtfully” in order to best serve the future needs of the community.
“This property and any potential future uses of it will certainly be given that same careful consideration,” he said.
The buildings on East Maple housed the county extension service and natural resources conservation service.
Those on Old Buford were once home to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division annex and the CID lab.
The extension service and natural resources conservation service have been moved to the Forsyth County Juvenile Justice Center at 875 Lanier 400 Parkway.
The sheriff’s criminal investigations division has moved to 475 Tribble Gap Road.
Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton confirmed that the demolition site was considered in 2004 as a possibility for a new headquarters and judicial annex.
Paxton said a $65 million bond referendum for a jail and courthouse package, which voters sided against in March 2004, could have been used to build administrative offices at the site.
“It seems to me like even though that was a potential site for a headquarters building, there was some discussion or concern that there would not be enough parking to meet code requirements,” Paxton said.
“It seems to me that was one of the stumbling blocks that also had to be overcome.”
Four years later, voters again rejected a bond referendum that would have funded sheriff ‘s headquarters, this time off Veterans Memorial Parkway closer to Ga. 400.
In that same 2008 election, voters also dismissed a separate bond referendum for a new detention center. The current facility, near the site of the razed buildings, is crowded and 34 years old.
As for the sheriff’s crime scene technicians, they are currently working out of an office building on East Maple that was once used by supervisors in the criminal investigations division.
They are also using a small vehicle processing lab near the Sheriff’s North Precinct on Keith Bridge Road until a new facility is completed.
The CID headquarters will not be torn down, however its future use has not been determined, said Jodi Gardner, county spokeswoman.