by David Chapman
Staff Writer
It’s been several weeks since some City workers moved into the Jake M. Godbold City Annex across the street from City Hall, and already the building’s main tenant can see the benefits.
“I really can’t complain,” said Ebenezer Gujjarlapudi, director of the City’s Environmental and Compliance Department.
Formerly the Haverty’s Building, the 100-year old building was acquired in 2006 by the Police and Fire Pension Fund, which undertook multimillion dollar renovations before leasing the space back to the City.
Besides the City’s Retirement System Administration offices on the first floor, many components of Gujjarlapudi’s multifaceted department have settled in on all the floors of the six-story building.
The ample space led to the Municipal and Environmental Code factions of the department to leave their Art Museum Drive location and occupy parts of the first and second floors, which has led to a couple added benefits, said Gujjarlapudi.
“It (the change) has meant easy access to City Hall,” he said. “Oftentimes, files in their department have to go there and the proximity has helped.”
Besides saving time and mileage driving across the Hart Bridge for delivering items, the vacating of the old facility has saved around $150,000 a year on rent, said Gujjarlapudi.
The other floors contain personnel mainly for the Environmental Quality Division, with different divisions within it spaced throughout floors three through six.
Two other divisions of the overall department — Animal Control and Mosquito Control — are housed in larger separate facilities, as each requires equipment and space unique to its field.
The joining of the majority of the department and close to 200 employees under one roof has already paid dividends in ways that can’t be monetarily measured.
“Anytime you move to a new facility and are working closer with your peers I think it’s a benefit,” said Gujjarlapudi. “It’s helped employee morale between the different groups ... to see each other and share common spaces, it’s helped.”
Who’s where:
1st Floor – City Retirement System administrative offices (7 people) Municipal Code Compliance Division (74 positions, 69 filled)
2nd Floor – Environmental Code Compliance Division (74 positions, 69 filled)
3rd Floor – Environmental Quality Division (117 positions, more than 100 filled)
4th Floor – Hazardous Waste (117 positions, more than 100 filled) Petroleum Cleanup Branch (117 positions, more than 100 filled) Storage Tanks (117 positions, more than 100 filled)
5th Floor – Air Quality (117 positions, more than 100 filled)
6th Floor – Office of the Director Water Quality Board (117 positions, more than 100 filled)
356-2466