The McKean County Assistance Office decided not to renew its
current lease in the Gleason building because of concerns with the
current office space.

Ed Myslewicz, press secretary for the Department of General
Services, said Friday the tenants had concerns with the heating and
cooling system, janitorial services and vibrations caused by the
theater below their offices.

“They have documentation of very poor conditions that they have
told the landlord about,” said Myslewicz.

The fact that the assistance office is working to relocate its
offices has caused the owner to notify his other current tenants
that he intends to close the building, the Hooker-Fulton building,
and three others facing Main Street in October.

The owner of the building is Hooker-Fulton Company, but the
contact is Bob Gleason.

The Department of General Services works on state land and lease
transactions with various state agencies, said Myslewicz, and they
have been taking bids for the Department of Public Welfare whose
contract in the Gleason building expires May 31.

“We are preparing to accept a bid for another place downtown,”
added Myslewicz. “They are not going to leave altogether.”

He said he could not give any other details regarding the move
but said it would not be until sometime early next year.

He said they approached the landlord of the Gleason building
about their intent to move and their desire to stay on a little
extra time at their current location even though the contract was
going to expire.

Myslewicz explained that they are currently paying $11.25 per
square foot to keep their services there, occupying 11,222 square
feet. He said the building owner submitted a bid for the extension
of time they were seeking to rent the space. The bid was for $28
per square foot.

“That is more than double the price. We found that
unreasonable,” said Myslewicz. “We did try to work with him to get
the extension on the lease, but with that price we were quoted …”
He said nothing more.

Myslewicz added that the original bid they received from Gleason
before he knew their intent to move was $21.80 per square foot.

There are 39 employees working for the Department of Public
Welfare offering a number of welfare programs to those in need of
them.

Myslewicz said they have another state agency in the Gleason
building in the Department of Health, which occupies 2,800 square
feet. He said that contract lasts until Aug. 1, 2008, and they have
every intention of honoring that contract.

Gleason said Friday that the Gleason building and other
properties facing Main Street are actually owned by the
Hooker-Fulton Company. He said the parking lot is owned by S&M
Gleason.

He said the Hooker-Fulton and Gleason buildings are attached but
have separate entrances.

The other properties affected by the possible closing of the
Gleason and Hooker-Fulton buildings are the Main Street Moviehouse,
the former Plaza Buffet and the current location of MM Service
Inc.

The Hooker-Fulton building is eight stories high and has about
20 to 25 office spaces available. Gleason said it is the tallest
building in Bradford.

He said there are roughly 60 parking spaces in the lot that will
close along with the buildings.