Lake County’s most ambitious project since the Judicial Center was completed in 1993 kicked off in April as construction began on the parking garage and office building at 320 W. Main St. The two-story, 28,000-square-foot building will provide new space for the Tax Collector and Property Appraiser offices. The six-story, seven-deck garage will accommodate much needed parking demands in downtown Tavares with more than 1,500 parking spaces.

The scheduled completion for the projects is summer 2009. PPI Construction Management of Orlando worked during the month of May laying the foundation for each new project and constructing stair and elevator shafts for the office building. According to Chuck Creel, Facilities Development Director for Lake County, the contractor is on schedule with project. “The public should be seeing concrete cast walls coming out of the ground by August,” said Richard LeBlanc, Architect for the Lake County Department of Facilities Development & Management.

The office building will be certified in standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. A voluntary program, LEED provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.