On the Move

We have begun to do some space analysis in preparation of the possibility of moving the registry. Currently the registry occupies slightly over 10,000 sq Ft in the Superior courthouse in Lowell. Our three record halls account for about forty percent of the space. This includes record books, work tables and some computers. Thirty percent is used for internal work areas. This would contain functions such as the recording counter, registered land, the South satellite, scanning stations etc. In addition there are large spaces inaccessible to the public that are used to store: plans, microfilm, Registered land, consumable supplies and other miscellaneous items. Hallways and public computer stations occupy the remaining twenty percent of our area. The present registry is not laid out well. Departments are scattered about, some registry work area are too close to public areas and the basement level is not handicapped accessible. A few years ago we stopped printing record books. In spite of this, the registry still has about 1,500 linear feet of 7' book shelves. We did our first space analysis about seven years ago when the registry was still part of the now defunct "Middlesex County". We were running out of room and hoped the County would finance a move(boy were we naive). Middlesex County ended up going broke which yielded significant benefits for the registry. When the Commonwealth took over, it provided financial resources that we never had with the bankrupt county. We used the new funding to install Cat 5 wiring and to purchase several computer servers with huge memory capacity. These upgrades allowed us to store fifty years of images (approximately 7 million) and make them available to the public both here and on the internet. The moving plan conceived under Middlesex County provided for twenty years of needs. It required massive amounts of space for record book expansion alone. Today we are designing a much different plan. In the past record book storage determined spaces needs, today technology leads the way.