Benton County departments relocating to Research Way, Corvallis

Beginning this week and through the beginning of October, the Benton County Information Technology (IT) Department, Community Development Department, Financial Services Department, Human Resources (HR) Department, and the Environmental Health Department will relocate to the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis.

On Wednesday, August 24, the IT Department will move from the Fifth Street Building at 209 NW 5th Street, Corvallis to the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way. The IT Department will be temporarily closed for in person services August 24-29 and will reopen on Tuesday, August 30. IT will be located on the first floor in the main lobby.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 2, the Community Development Department will be closed to the public. The department will move from the Avery Building at 360 SW Avery Avenue, Corvallis to the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way. The Community Development Department will be temporarily closed for in-person services September 2-12, and will reopen to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 13. Permit processing and scheduled building inspections on active permits will continue during the temporary closure. Community Development staff will continue to return voice messages and emails. Please anticipate a delayed response during the move. The Community Development Department will be located on the second floor.

Beginning Wednesday, September 21, the Financial Services Department will move from the Sunset Building at 4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis to the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way. The Financial Services Department will be closed to in-person services September 21-23 and will reopen to the public on Monday, September 26. Financial Services staff will have limited access to phones and email, which may create slower response times. The Financial Services Department will be located on the first floor in the main lobby.

Beginning Wednesday, October 5, the Human Resources Department and the Environmental Health Department will move from the Sunset Building at 4077 SW Research Way to the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way. Both departments will be closed to in-person services from October 5-7 and will reopen to the public on Monday, October 10. Staff from the Human Resources Department and the Environmental Health Department will have limited access to phones and email. Both departments will be located on the second floor.

Contact information for Information Technology, Community Development, Financial Services, Human Resources and Environmental Health staff, including phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses, will remain unchanged during the relocation period.

• Information Technology Department website and phone number: 541-766-6881
• Community Development Department website and phone number: 541-766-6819
• Financial Services Department website and phone number: 541-766-6100
• Human Resources Department website and phone number: 541-766-6081
• Environmental Health Department website and phone number: 541-766-6841

These five department moves complete Phase II renovations of the Kalapuya Building, which began in December 2021. In January, the first three departments to relocate to the Kalapuya Building included the Assessor’s Office, Records & Elections Department, and the Board of Commissioners’ Office. These three department moves completed Phase I renovations of the Kalapuya Building, which began in June 2021. In December 2019, County Administrator Joe Kerby first proposed the acquisition of a facility in Corvallis to co-locate County public services, and in January 2020, the Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of the 4500 SW Research Way building, which has since been renamed the Kalapuya Building.

The relocation and assembly of County departments begins to address initial reasons for the County’s purchase that included addressing critical space needs and the centralizing of customer services in a convenient and accessible location. The Kalapuya Building has provided improved community member access and service to the public; is located within a quarter mile of the County’s Sunset Building, and the physical size of the facility advances the County’s vision of a one-stop-shop customer service center. Additionally, the moves complete the co-location of customer-facing departments, ample parking for the public, operational efficiencies, and stewardship of tax dollars.