County commissioners have approved $4 million for initialarchitectural and engineering work for the addition which willinclude a five-story, 900-space parking garage on West Main Street.A construction start date is being determined but area buildingindustry sources tell GlobeSt.com the work will probably start atyear end 2005 at the 14-year-old, four-story existingstructure.

Commissioners also approved an initial appraisal for anundetermined cost on 230 acres south of Clermont it may buy for agovernment annex building in the south end of the county. Orlandoand Orange County jointly own the 230 acres whose price also hasn'tbeen determined.

Area industrial brokers, however, tell GlobeSt.com the land,near the scenic Lake Louisa State Park, probably won't sell forless than $15,000 per acre or a total of approximately $3.5million. The Clermont site is 25 miles south of the main courthousein Tavares.