While many local nonprofit officials agree that housing human service organizations in a central location, as Oxford Mayor Richard Howorth recently discussed with local civic groups, would benefit both the agencies and their clients, they are also aware of the extensive planning necessary to make the idea a reality.
"My reaction has been all along that there would need to be a lot of work on logistics," said Ann O'Dell, with the Oxford Food Pantry, a nonprofit that distributes groceries to local low-income families.
O'Dell said the proposed building for the project, the old National Guard Armory on University Avenue, would have to be equipped to fit each organization's specific needs, such as the Pantry's loading dock and grocery store-like setup.
"We've known all along that this mobile structure that the Pantry is currently in is not going to last forever," she said. "Right now it serves our needs because it was designed at our request. We hope that whatever happens in the Armory, if indeed it's possible for all agencies to be out there, would accommodate these same needs that we have. We are certainly not opposed to the idea or in fact, the reality."
Many officials agree that relocating to one building would make the agencies' services more accessible to clients, many of whom usually work with more than one of the organizations. It would also help with communication between the nonprofits that work closely together.
Howorth said if nonprofits agree the central location would be helpful, the organizations would need to examine a number of issues before the project could move forward.
"Their respective boards would need to discuss their long term needs and what specific elements of consolidation would be advantageous or perhaps even counterproductive," Howorth said. "They would need to think about occupancy costs per square footage, how much space they need, whether sharing administrative costs and other overhead is possible or useful - all the sorts of things organizations do in strategic planning, with a particular eye on use of space."
A shared space study conducted in 2006 to gage the feasibility of the project showed that of the 13 nonprofit organizations which responded to the survey, eight were interested in "a building that houses nonprofit organizations," the study's executive summary said. The study was conducted by Dr. Noel Wilkin, chair of the board of advisors for the North Central Mississippi Service Center of the American Red Cross and interim associate provost at Ole Miss, with the local branch of the United Way.
Wilkin said organizations opposed to the idea may not have responded to the study, but the five agencies that did not wish to relocate and did participate did not seem to disagree with the idea.
"In general, those organizations that serve citizens in need believed that it would be beneficial to be in a shared space facility," Wilkin said. "While we did get some organizations that indicated that they would not relocate, we did not get any responses that were negative about the concept … I believe that there was sufficient support for the concept."
If enough nonprofits are in favor of the plan, the Oxford Board of Aldermen would then have to agree on the amount of property necessary for the consolidation, according to Howorth. The Armory offers five acres.
Lena Wiley, director of Interfaith Compassion Ministry, said the Armory building has plenty of room to house the agencies. The number of consolidated nonprofits would be "as many as would need it and would make the building efficient and useful," Howorth said. He estimated between six and 10.
According to the study, the eight organizations interested in relocating occupied about 5,720 square feet of space but were actually in need of 6,500 square feet.
The central location would make clients' visits and referrals easier, Wiley said. She said her referral process sometimes takes longer than necessary because it includes directions about how to get to each nonprofit the client is working with.
"It would be easier for clients to find us," she said. "Everybody else now has separate locations. I would like to just say, 'It's two doors down the hall.'"
The idea for consolidation developed after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, during which many nonprofits worked together in the Katrina Resource Center, Wilkin said.
"It was apparent from those activities that there were benefits to be reaped from being located in close proximity to each other," he said. "The groups worked well together, communicated well, coordinated services and provided more efficient services to those citizens who needed them."
Wilkin said that in terms of rent, a central location could also help. The study indicated that nonprofits were paying about $87 per square foot each month in rent and working in spaces that were more "affordable than optimal."
Communication and networking would also be enhanced, according to Bebo Howell, director of the local branch of the Red Cross.
Howell said the Armory location would be easy to find for clients and would not have parking space issues, which the Red Cross dealt with at its previous location off the Square. The University Avenue location makes the property valuable, which Howorth said he feels would also work to the nonprofits' advantage.
"While I know that many argue the property is 'too valuable' for this sort of use, I tend to think the opposite," he said. "Providing prominent space for these needed services would enhance the visibility of the services. Maybe more people are attracted to participate in helping the needy, rather than 'hiding' these services in scattered locations."
According to Howorth, it could be a few years before the nonprofits move in. He estimates that the decision will probably take about a year, and that the actual planning and construction could take from one to two years.
