Growth prompts Newark treasurer, income tax offices to move to Newark Trade Tower
NEWARK − The city of Newark income tax and treasurer offices moved out of the Newark Municipal Building to the Newark Trade Tower, the former Chase Bank Building on North Third Street.
The move gives the 13 city employees more space on the second floor of the six-story building at 15 N. Third St. The move started May 6 and Monday, May 13 was the first day in the new building.
Newark Development Partners, a public-private partnership for economic development, occupies an office on the building’s first floor. The city’s engineering department will also leave the city building next year and join NDP on the first floor of Newark Trade Tower.
“I love it,” Income Tax Administrator Brenda Cooper said. “We’re all basically in the same space. We were divided by the kitchen (in city building). Now, we’re all together.
“I’ve heard nothing but good comments. From the beginning, they were excited. They were impressed. More elbow room. More space. With the growth we’re expecting in Newark, we really needed more space.”
Cooper has been tax administrator since 2021 and employed with the city since 2006.
The treasurer and income tax offices will occupy the entire 5,000-square feet on the second floor of the building.
City Treasurer Brad Feightner Jr. said he knew a move could happen more than two years ago, following his election in November 2021. He took office in 2022.
“I was made aware (then) there was a possibility we may be moving,” Feightner said. “I think it’s going to be good for morale.
“Part of it is due to expansion. Our office is growing, and we’ve added people. It provides a little more security for sensitive information. The way it’s set up now, our new environment makes those conversations even more secure.”
The city owns the basement, first floor and second floor of the building. The other occupants are Rea and Associates on the third floor, Otto Insurance Group on the fourth floor and Monte Christopher on the fifth floor. The sixth floor is shared by Coldwell Banker Realty/Guanciale Group and Shai-Hess Commercial Real Estate.
City Service Director David Rhodes said space is also tight in the engineer's department, located on the second floor of the city building.
The offices of the mayor, service director, safety director, human resources director, development director and auditor will remain in the Newark Municipal Building, Rhodes said.
It has not yet been determined how the vacant space left in the city building will be used.
"We might bring the fourth floor people to first and second floors and give the third and fourth floors to the courts," Rhodes said. "No decisions have been made yet. We’ll be looking at additional needs the court system has in the future.”
Western county growth drives space needs
Municipal Court could someday be required to add a third judge. The court's caseload determines when that would occur, but growth in the western part of the county could speed up the timetable.
Marcia Phelps, the Licking County Municipal Court clerk of courts, said New Albany, Reynoldsburg and Johnstown all expect to need additional safety forces, and the increased enforcement will only add to the court system caseload.
“As county continues to grow, so will the need for speedy trials," Phelps said.
Phelps said the third floor is not sufficient, but the fourth floor would need renovations for restroom and jury space for deliberations. The courtroom on fourth floor, used for evictions and parking violations, was not built for a jury, she said.
“Now a female held for a hearing or after convicted uses the same restroom as a juror," Phelps said.
The Newark Municipal Building opened in 1967 as a new three-story structure. The fourth floor was added in 1978.
The Newark Trade Tower is a combination of two buildings -- the six-story former Kings Department Store building and the 10-story former Newark Trust building. The top eight floors of the Newark Trust building were removed, possibly in the 1980s, due to structural issues and connected with the former Kings building.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Treasurer, income tax offices move to Newark Trade Tower second floor
