Times Observer file photo Warren County officials expect a plan for the former Youngsville High School building to be finished in mid-June.

Warren County officials are pleased with the early work on redevelopment of the former Youngsville High School building.

Josh Cotton, county grant writer, gave a brief update to the Warren County Commissioners recently to update work done so far. Plans are expected to be presented to the county in June, with an Oct. 31 deadline for the county to decide if it will opt into a 24-year lease for the property.

“Last week we met with our partners and the architect individually to understand their needs, their desires, their wishes,” Cotton said. “Everybody was cost-conscious. We’re grateful for that. And I would say at this point that we haven’t come across any problems that are unsolvable. So (it’s) still early. June 15th, we’ll have planning done, but early returns have been pretty positive.”

The commissioners approved Larson Karle Architects to serve as the contractor for this stage of the project. There had been 15 proposals submitted outlining potential redevelopment plans for the former Youngsville High School building collected during a month-long submission window. Qualified firms were invited to present comprehensive redevelopment concepts, with submissions including plans for design, building utilization, long-term planning and construction oversight. Estimated planning costs ranged from approximately $10,000 to $130,000, though total construction costs have yet to be determined and will depend on the final redevelopment direction.

Under an agreement with the school district, the county is leasing the building for $1. The school district will cover utilities and trash removal during the first year of the lease, excluding phone and internet services. After that period, the county will assume responsibility for maintenance, repairs, cleaning and any building improvements. The agreement also includes a provision requiring the county to grant a non-exclusive license for use of the building’s locker rooms and related facilities for athletic and extracurricular activities.

Warren County has only held the lease for the building since early January. During that time the county met with county entities and potential partners to find out what would be a good fit for the building and how much those partnerships could cost when it comes to determining construction costs. Cotton told Warren County School District board members in January the county hopes to have that information in place by mid-August.