Fresno County takes first step towards new building, departure from New Deal-era historic headquarters

A Fresno historical landmark may be vacated in the coming years following a supervisor’s push for change. 

The Fresno County Board Of Supervisors discussed the potential to develop a new headquarters for the Board and county staff. The discussion, introduced at Tuesday’s meeting by board vice chair Garry Bredefeld, ended with county administrative officer Paul Nerland agreeing with direction to come back in 60 days with a funding plan and timeline for a new building.

The Hall of Records is a near-century-old three-story modern art deco building that harbors multiple county services, and the offices and chambers of the Fresno County Board Of Supervisors. 

In spite of its architectural significance, the county has long discussed the potential for a new building due to its many issues in the modern age. Multiple county staff have reported issues like faulty elevators, security risks and extreme temperature fluctuations during the summer and winter months. 

District 5 Supervisor Nathan Magsig illustrated one such issue by explaining the problem the building’s infrastructure can bring when making maintenance calls. 

“This building is antiquated. Plumbing, the electrical systems in here are all original to the 1930s, 1950s.” Magsig said. “…the main breaker is (from the) 1930s, and when that goes out we actually have to have people come out and manufacture parts because they don’t exist, they don’t make those kinds of parts anymore.”

Some recent developments the county has seen include the approval for two new county library branches, the opening of the new West Annex Jail, and the renovation of the Rowell Building, which houses the district attorney’s office.

The Board confirmed they would be in charge of making any final decision on a potential move or renovation. They also confirmed any move would be discussed at a future board meeting, providing opportunity for public input. 

All five supervisors agreed with Bredefeld’s “timely” request, and they also agreed with his recommendation for county staff to look at options for a move and a new building. 

Board Chair Buddy Mendes said that the county was told that it would not be possible to vacate the building and completely remodel it since the Hall is two buildings morphed into one. 

The Hall of Records building was constructed between 1935-1937 with help from the Public Works Administration — a New Deal-era federal agency that helped the country with funding and employment post-Great-Depression. The supervisors’ chambers is part of an annex that was added in the 1950s. The Hall has seen multiple refurbishments since its inception, with the latest in the early 2000s. 

The near-century-old building was added to the National Register Of Historic Places in 2011. The Register is a list of historic places across the country deemed “worthy of preservation.” The Register is managed by the National Parks Service. 

Special election date set for vacant city council seat

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved plans for the county to manage the city’s special municipal election for its vacant District 5 council seat. The board passed the item through the consent agenda. 

The city’s southeast council seat was left vacant after then-councilmember Luis Chavez beat out incumbent Sal Quintero for the county’s District 3 supervisor seat in the November 2024 General Elections. The seat has been left vacant since Jan. 7. 

The election will be held on Tuesday, March 18. The winner will steward the rest of Chavez’s term, which is scheduled to end in 2026. 

The city will reimburse the county for all costs related to managing the election. The cost is estimated to be around $180,000 -$200,000.