Orange County offices to be moved from downtown SunTrust building

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector's offices will be moved from the expensive SunTrust building, Channel 9 has learned.

On Tuesday, county leaders agreed to move forward with purchasing properties near Fashion Square Mall.

Taxpayers have funded the $1.2 million per year offices on the 16th and 17th floors of the SunTrust building for 20 years. But now the annual lease for the offices could come to an end for good.

"I think this is a long-term solution that's going to be good for everybody involved," Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph said.

Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to pursue the $8 million purchase of two buildings on Maguire Road for the new offices. It's a location that Randolph has been pushing to move to.

"I think it's right outside the urban core and it's between Winter Park and Orlando, two of the major cities," Randolph said.

The buildings are less than four miles away from the SunTrust building downtown, but Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh isn't sold on the new location.

"Every big city has a complex where you can do all of your business in one building, at least in close proximity," Singh said. "The location right outside of this building is the best for the taxpayers of our county."

Singh believes the Maguire Road location is too far from other county facilities. He said he'll be watching the process closely and doesn't think it's a done deal yet.

County commissioners are set to approve the final contract for the purchase within the next month.

WFTV