Wednesday, December 25, 2002
Employees signed a petition asking for a new office with free parking.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Louis Palumbo likes what he sees being done on the new offices of Lawrence County's Department of Public Assistance.
"From what I can see, we are going to have a magnificent office," said Palumbo, executive director of the office.
Work started earlier this year when Pennsylvania officials decided to move the Department of Public Assistance from 108 South St. to Cascade Galleria, just off Jefferson Street. Palumbo said they should have the entire operation moved into the new offices by March or April.
Factors in decision
Palumbo said a number of factors went into the decision to move, including free parking and having all of the offices on one floor.
The Department of Public Assistance has been at 108 South St. since the early 1960s and has slowly taken over the entire first floor and part of the second floor.
Palumbo said the office setup has grown so unwieldy: There are now three entrances and three separate waiting rooms.
The new facility, which once housed Thrift Drug and Richmond Bros., has about the same amount of space -- 18,500 square feet-- but will be on one floor, have one waiting room and entrance, and offer about 1,200 free parking spaces.
Signed petition
Palumbo said 90 percent of the employees signed a petition earlier this year asking for a new location with free parking. Clients and most employees have to pay for parking now, he said.
Palumbo said remaining in the current building would have meant extensive renovations to fit the state's needs for the office over the next few years. The operation has slowly grown from 40 employees when Palumbo started working there 26 years ago to nearly 90 today, he said.
A move to a new facility meant all renovation could be done without interrupting the office's daily work. That work at the new facility should be finished sometime in the next few months, he said.
"The only thing they are using is the frame on the building. We are getting everything new, including a roof. They are installing windows so it will be nice and bright," he said.