Health Department Gets A New Home

At its July 17, 2000 meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of the former A&P Shopping Center on Bridges Street in Morehead City. The facility will be renovated and will become the new home of the Carteret County Health Department, Neuse Center for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, CCATS, and Atlantic House.

These agencies, especially the Health Department, have operated in cramped space for the past several years. The renovated facility will double the amount of space currently occupied by these agencies, and will enable them to better serve their existing clients and provide needed space for future growth. The facility consists of 43,210 sq. ft. on a 4.7 acre tract. Under an agreement reached with Neuse Center, the space will be allocated as follows:

The County selected EDA-Morehead, a Morehead City architectural firm, to design the renovations. The design process was completed in August 2001, and bids for construction were accepted and evaluated in September. FASCO, INC., of Kinston submitted the low bid of $2,195,390. Floor tile and glue containing asbestos has been removed from the former A&P portion of the facility by a firm specializing in this type of environmentally sensitive work. General demolition and renovation work should begin in December. Construction will take about 11 months, with occupancy expected in December 2002.