Crews work on new downtown county building

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SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald

A backhoe operates at the former Vectra Bank building on East Second Avenue. Contruction is underway for the La Plata County Administration Building.

SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald

A backhoe operates at the former Vectra Bank building on East Second Avenue. Contruction is underway for the La Plata County Administration Building.

The La Plata County Administration Building is under construction at 1101 East Second Avenue, with an eye toward moving several county offices beginning in July.

For the public, that means not having to enter the courthouse and its metal detectors to use the assessors office or attend meetings of county commissioners.

The move is prompted by a proposal to bring a federal court to the courthouse, 1060 East Second Ave. To make way for the feds the county has been negotiating lease terms with the General Services Administration county offices are moving across the street.

The Administration Building carries an estimated cost of nearly $4 million. The county won a $1.5 million energy impact grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for the extensive renovations, which are aimed at achieving a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design gold environmental rating.

Most recently, a Vectra Bank branch, the building at 1101 East Second Ave., was acquired by the county in 2012. The renovations underway largely leave the exterior unchanged, save for new lights and landscaping.

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Crews work on new downtown county building