The Allen County Board of Commissioners today unanimously voted to enter into a non-binding agreement with the City of Fort Wayne concerning plans for co-location at the City-County Building and the former Renaissance Square building.

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes the responsibilities for each side and their respective buildings.  Currently, Allen County owns and manages the City-County Building, with the City leasing space for its departments.  Last year, the City purchased the Renaissance Square building at 200 East Berry with the intention of moving most of its departments along with the City’s police department, currently located at 1320 East Creighton.

Under terms of the memorandum, the City will pay the building renovation costs for those City and County departments which would move to 200 East Berry and the County will cover similar build out costs for the City-County Building.  Additionally, the City will seek to appropriate $1 million to assist in making the CCB functional for the city police department.

The memorandum goes on to state that each side would pay all operation and maintenance costs for their respective buildings.  Also, each side would be responsible for their respective moving and furnishing costs.

With the City’s lease extension agreement with the County set to expire at the end of the year, the memorandum calls on the two sides to work toward a short-term lease arrangement based on the construction schedule for 200 East Berry.

The memorandum now goes to Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry for his signature.