Space Allocation Committee Meeting - March 5, 2026
Space Allocation Committee Meeting - March 5, 2026
The Indianapolis Marion County Space Allocation Committee met on March 5, 2026, at 7:00 PM to approve the previous meeting's minutes and consider a single new business item: a lease amendment for the clerk's warehouse storage at 1330 South Madison Avenue. The committee also received an update on a previously approved IMPD lease.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the January 15, 2026 meeting without corrections.
Discussion Items
- Clerk's Warehouse Storage Lease Amendment (1330 South Madison Avenue): Chris Becker, Chief of Staff for the Clerk's Office, presented the request for a five-year extension of the existing lease. The clerk has occupied the space since 2016, housing physical court records and microfilm. Over the past several years, records from the City-County Building and the former juvenile detention center were consolidated into this facility. Becker described the Herculean effort to move and organize records, including discarding eligible records, returning records belonging to other agencies, and purchasing shelving. The space is nearly full, but digitization efforts are underway to reduce physical storage needs. The lease extension includes a significant cost increase from the previous below-market rate, but the first year's rate of $6.50 per square foot is below two broker opinions of value ($6.75–$7.75 per square foot). The annual rent will exceed $250,000 in the third year, requiring City-County Council approval. The Clerk's Office can absorb the current year's increase (starting May 1, 2026) because it covers only seven months. Becker noted that the building has one other small tenant (Surplus) and that the parking lot is used for storage by other departments. He expressed confidence that the clerk has collected all existing court records and expects to shrink physical storage through scanning. The committee asked clarifying questions about space needs and costs.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve: The committee voted unanimously (all in favor, no opposition) to approve the lease amendment at 1330 South Madison Avenue and to forward it to the City-County Council for formal approval through the lease process.
- Update on IMPD Lease (1451 Keystone Avenue): The committee noted that the IMPD lease received full City-County Council approval in February 2026. The next Space Allocation Committee meeting is scheduled for June 18, 2026, pending new business.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after the conclusion of business.
Meeting Transcript
Oh yeah. Okay, so we're trying to read a guest today. Oh I let Judge Davis know that we wouldn't be doing the teens version. She said she was out of time or a town, so I don't think I can do both. Um is this sufficient? I don't know my own core. Uh well, we're waiting on our one agenda item is um. Oh, I wonder if that was Chris trying to get in. Oh, hi Chris. Chris, you can call up here to the front. Yeah, we can get started. I think you have another style. Yeah, quorums four, so yeah. Um experienced in this manner. All right. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm calling the space allocation meeting to meet uh space allocation committee meeting to order. My name's Abby Hansen, and I'm the chairperson. Thank you all for being here. We are uh being recorded under the public access law, whatever it's called, but so just make sure that you turn on your mic so that for recording purposes we can hear. So can we take a moment to do introductions starting all the way on my right? Joseph O'Connor on the Marion County Assessor. I am Brianne Delaney, City Councilor, District 2 from the north side of Indianapolis. Mark Peterson, General Manager, Indianapolis Marion County Building Authority. Megan Bukasit, Director for the Department of Metropolitan Development. Candice Harris, uh City Council CFO. Okay. First, we need to start by approving the minutes from January 15th, 2026. Has everyone had a chance to review those minutes and do we have any corrections. No. I move to approve. Second. Thank you. Awesome. Uh all in favor? Aye. Opposed. Great. All right. Minutes are approved. So now we have just one item of new business. The clerk's warehouse storage lease amendment at 1330 South Madison Avenue. Go ahead. Thanks, Committee Chair. Yeah, just one item. Uh and we have Chris Becker here from the clerk's office to kind of explain the need for the lease. Hello, I'm the chief of staff for the clerk's office. Um the clerk has been in this location since 2016. Um it's um housing all of our court records and other records that the clerk is required to keep. Most of those are still in paper.
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