Press Release
COTA to Acquire Downtown Property for Administrative Offices
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has entered into an agreement to purchase an office building at 33 N. High Street in downtown Columbus. The purchase, which is contingent on the approval of the COTA Board of Trustees and completion of due diligence and analysis, will enable the Authority to relocate administrative and sales functions along with itsdowntown bus operator reporting station into a single, ADA accessible, COTA-owned facility.
“The opportunity to acquire the 33 N. High building provides COTA with a presence near Broad and High streets where much of our service operates, permits our employees to utilize the service we provide to the community and offers us greater visibility and convenience to our customers and the community,” said Bill Lhota, President/CEO.
In 2006, COTA announced its intention to relocate administrative operations from overcrowded space at its McKinley Avenue fixed-route bus and maintenance facility to a strategic location in the central business district. About 100 COTA employees will work in the building which has about 72,000 square feet and several long-term tenants.
“Our new location will also permit COTA to hold Board meetings and other public meetings in our own building with convenient access to public transportation,” Lhota said. COTA would like to commence operations at 33 N. High Street by the 3 rd quarter of 2009.
Kudos for move to utilize their own service…
From 10/24/08 Business First: COTA expects to occupy 40,000 square feet of the 33 N. High St. building for administrative offices, a sales operation and a break area for drivers. Moving administrative offices from the garage at McKinley Avenue will put office staff on a bus route, Lhota said. In fact, COTA employees will not have parking spaces at the downtown building, he said.
“We’re not providing any parking,” he said. “We think our employees should use our service, and that includes me as well.”