Studies look at infrastructure conditions, costs and proposals for an Ashland civic campus on North Mountain Avenue

Ashland.news staff report

The Ashland City Council will receive a presentation about two major planning efforts during a special study session at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, that will shape how the city manages, upgrades, and potentially consolidates its public buildings over the coming decades.

The special study session, which will be held in the Ashland City Council chamber at 1175 E. Main St., will feature an overview of Ashland’s facilities master plan and a comprehensive facility condition assessment.

The two studies, completed by ORW Architecture and its subconsultant McKinstry, were commissioned by the council in February 2024, according to meeting documents.

The studies are the first updates to Ashland’s facilities planning since 2008, the meeting documents note. The meeting documents note that the studies offer a look at the condition, remaining lifespan, and replacement costs of city-owned buildings and infrastructure.

Aging facilities

In McKinstry’s facilities condition assessment, the consultant inspected 30 of the 90 city-owned buildings and park facilities. The firm reviewed mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, roofing, structural, and accessibility of the buildings and facilities.

McKinstry assigned condition scores and estimated replacement costs for major city assets.

The evaluation found that Ashland’s facilities are aging. The average lifespan of Ashland’s building facilities is just over six years, according to the study. Among the findings, the reviewers found that roofing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems have exceeded their expected lifespans.

Meanwhile, fire alarms are either outdated or missing in older buildings, and several facilities fall short of current Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards.  

Over 30 years, it would cost the city $72 million in present value to replace major equipment at the facilities assessed, the meeting documents note.

City staff note that the assessment data will be integrated into its asset management system, allowing for budgeting, maintenance planning, and risk reduction.

Facilities plan

In ORW’s 2025 facilities plan, the firm found that Ashland owns and maintains too many buildings. This, ORW notes, leads to inefficiencies, higher maintenance costs, and “dispersed staff and customer service.”

The plan’s general recommendations include investing fewer buildings and facilities, establishing an emergency operations center and improving access for staff and the public through transportation and “digital improvements.”

Civic campus

ORW recommends that the city establish an “Ashland Civic Campus” to house most city services at one location.

The facilities plan considers two locations as potential campus venues, including the long-closed Briscoe Elementary School, which advantages due to its location and “walkable location and historic character.”

But, ORW noted, the former elementary school needs seismic and structural upgrades, and has “limited expansion capacity.” The study also noted that there could be concerns among nearby residents about noise and increased traffic.

ORW recommends relocating services to 90 North Mountain Ave., Ashland’s current public works service center. The location, the study says, would be cost-efficient, support future growth, and free up downtown sites, including city hall and the community development center, according to the meeting documents.

Proceeds from the sale of aging downtown buildings and other city-owned property could help fund the project while reducing long-term maintenance of the facilities.

What’s next?

The documents note that the presentation is to inform the council about city-owned buildings and infrastructure, not to take action on the recommendations.

The Wednesday study session can be attended in person or viewed live on cablecast Channel 9 (or 180) or streamed online at rvtv.sou.edu (RVTV Prime). The session will be posted online the day after the meeting.

Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at stevem@ashland.news.