The Department of Public Welfare office may use the former Ames
store in the Bradford Mall as a temporary home until their new
offices are built on Chestnut Street.

The former Ames store location is only one of several the
Department of General Services, which handles state land and lease
transactions with various state agencies, is looking at
currently.

“That location is only one we’re looking at. We have no
agreements in place,” said Ed Myslewicz, press secretary for the
Department of General Services.

Myslewicz said he wasn’t even positive it was the former Ames
store they were looking at. He also said he didn’t know what other
locations they are looking into.

The DPW lease at the Gleason Building expires May 31 and General
Services decided previously that rent to remain there until new
offices are built on Chestnut Street was too high. Myslewicz said
in the past they were quoted a bid price that doubled the amount
per square foot they are paying now for the space they currently
occupy.

They reportedly received bids of $21.80 per square foot from the
Hooker-Fulton Co., their current landlord, to remain at their
current location; $22.90 from Victor Aiello Family Trust; $23.90
from DJ Properties in Custer City; and two bids at $23.75 and
$24.85, both from Hudson Holding Co. in Hermitage, who proposed two
different locations.

DGS chose the Futures building at 56-58 Chestnut Street, which
means the Victor Aiello Family Trust bid. Myslewicz announced in
April the Commission of Buildings and Grounds “approved a lease
which provides for a 10-year term with three five-year options” at
the Chestnut Street location.

The DPW plans to move to newly constructed offices in January of
2008.

A previous story states the DPW decided to move from the Gleason
Building because of “poor conditions.”

Victor Aiello Jr., property manager for Aiello Land and
Development Group, said recently the cost of buying, tearing the
current building down on Chestnut Street, and rebuilding it will
come to a total more than $2 million.