Moving Allegheny County Police to Parkway Center Mall to cost county double

When Allegheny County moves its police offices into the redeveloped Parkway Center Mall property in mid-June, it will pay more than double the rent it pays at the Lexington Technology Park — for less space.

The county has agreed to pay $641,074 a year for 38,853 square feet of office space at Parkway Center, county spokeswoman Amie Downs said. That rate is for the first two years, with increases after that. The county's annual rent at the Lexington complex in Point Breeze was $318,401 for 51,459 square feet.

The lease terms came to light in an audit County Controller Chelsa Wagner released Wednesday, and were verified by Downs.

The Parkway Center cost includes turn-key buildout and building services, Downs said.

The county is in the process of finding new locations for offices housed at Lexington because the city wants to redevelop the property and get it back on the tax rolls, Deputy County Manager Stephen Pilarski wrote in a response to Wagner's audit.

“While the county's negotiation of rental rates averaging approximately $8 per square foot over its 20-year occupancy was remarkably below market rates, that rate can no longer sustain a facility that meets the county's evolving needs,” Pilarski wrote.

The county has 10 leases for 176,091 square feet of office space at Lexington, where about 650 to 675 county employees work, Downs said.

Wagner's audit also said the county is in negotiations to relocate its 911 call center to a building at Pittsburgh International Airport formerly used by US Airways. Up to $4 million in construction would be required.

Downs and Bob Kerlik, an airport spokesman, both declined to confirm that claim.

The county will not disclose the locations of the new offices until it finalizes the moves and notifies staff members, Downs said.

Theresa Clift is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-5669, tclift@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tclift.