Missouri's Office of Administration is requesting more than $26 million to start creating a consolidated state warehouse complex in Jefferson City.
The requested funds would be used to design and build a new 150,000-square-foot warehouse in one of two potential locations in the Capital City. The warehouse would be the first in OA's multi-phase plan to build a 600,000-square-foot warehouse complex for storing unused furniture, equipment and more.
OA Public Information Officer Chris Moreland said logistics of the warehouse complex "have not yet been determined or finalized" because the project funding is still being worked out by lawmakers crafting the state budget.
Gov. Mike Parson included the funding in his proposed state budget unveiled last month. Included as a fiscal year 2024 request, legislators in the House have not yet moved it forward in legislation.
The warehouse complex would include climate-controlled areas, a dock with truck parking areas and fencing and security, according to OA's budget request. Potential locations for the complex include the closed Central Missouri Correctional Center at Church Farm and the former state surplus property east of the Missouri State Penitentiary redevelopment on Lafayette Street.
According to the budget request, a new storage warehouse complex is necessary to combine roughly 660,000 square feet of warehouse space currently leased throughout Cole County.
"This would place all of the state's storage in one location and reduce the cost of leasing the warehouse space," the request states.
OA's Facilities Management, Design and Construction department prepared the budget item request, marking it as a top priority.
FMDC manages more than 14 million square feet of facilities throughout the state, including 5.7 million square feet of institutional space and 3.2 million square feet of leased space across 578 contracts. The department oversees another 22 parking leases and 13 storage and warehouse leases.
Moreland said FMDC has received requests for additional storage space from other parts of state government, helping prompt the budget request.