The former office in Sussex County was located at 144 East Market Street in Georgetown.  The building is an old dentist’s office which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is two stories with access to the second floor by stairway only.

While CLASI operated effectively out of this building for many years, it became apparent to the agency that it must move to a more accommodating dwelling.  Because of small doorways and a stairway more than half of the office was inaccessible to persons with disabilities.  Our Disabilities Law Program worked around these obstacles to make our programs accessible but it was clear a change was needed.  In addition, our Poverty Law Program staff carry a heavy caseload of domestic violence matters.  The Market Street office was impossible to fully secure, leaving the building vulnerable to perpetrators who may attempt to assault our clients or staff.

As a consequence of the difficulties with the Market Street building, CLASI began to examine its alternatives for space in Sussex County.  We examined rental options, new construction and acquisition and renovation of an existing building.  Our investigation identified a building located in the Georgetown Professional Park on Route 113 in Georgetown which met the needs of our staff and clients.  The previous owner of the building, Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, moved to a new space further south on Route 113.  Needless to say, the building in Georgetown Professional Park is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.  The structure has entries and exits that can be secured against any threat from violence or invasion.

CLASI entered an agreement of sale for the building in August, 2006 and closed on the property in December 2006.  We obtained a short-term construction loan from Discover Bank at extremely reasonable terms.  CLASI subsequently identified long-term financing through the USDA Community Facilities Program with very attractive terms.

The building is over 8,000 square feet and CLASI requires only half of that space.  Although CLASI could afford its portion of the building with the permanent financing from USDA we sought additional funding for the project from foundations to enable us to offer the remaining space at a reduced rent to other non-profit agencies.  We received generous grants from Longwood, Welfare, Good Samaritan and the Delaware Community foundations.  Currently four other non-profit agencies operate out of the extra space in the building at a reduced rental cost.  Space still remains for one or two additional non-profit tenants at the lower cost.

The office park houses several governmental and non-profit offices utilized by the population served by non-profit agencies including: the Social Security Administration, Delaware Hospice, American Heart Association, Visiting Nurses Association, the Department of Labor and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.  The building is easily accessible by private and public transportation.  There is ample parking for staff and clients in a very large parking lot on the premises and it is located on a public bus route which operates throughout the work week during normal office hours.

When not in use by the agency, CLASI makes its large conference room and its amenities available to the other tenants and the Sussex County community.  We hope to include some audio-visual equipment in the large conference room such as a digital projector, overhead projector and a video monitor and statewide videoconferencing.  The conference room will accommodate approximately 40 people and will include CLASI’s videoconferencing facilities.

CLASI is very pleased to occupy this new facility.  We look forward to many more years of providing equal access to justice to the citizens of Sussex County.