VZCZCXRO0148
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0021/01 1050914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150914Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4724
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1266
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1064
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1329

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADANA 000021 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OBO/OM/AM/EUR FOR CHRIS WITTMANN 
EUR-OI/EX/PMO FOR DAVID SAVASTUK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT ASEC ABLD TU
SUBJECT: CONSULATE ADANA'S GROWTH SPURT REQUIRES  BRICKS AND MORTAR 
(AND SOLAR PANELS) 
 
Background 
 
---------------- 
 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Consulate Adana has been a critical platform for USG 
operations in southeastern Turkey since 1960.  The Consulate 
provides services for Americans affiliated with Incirlik Air 
Base (IAB) and for regional contingencies such as the 2006 
evacuation of Americans from Lebanon.  The Consulate also 
provides reporting coverage of Turkey's volatile southeastern 
regions, including the Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian borders.  The 
Consulate is a lock-and-leave post and does not process 
classified information. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U) In recent years the Consulate's reporting and outreach 
role has grown, as has the threat posed by transnational 
terrorist organizations operating in the region, as illustrated 
by the 2007 attack on Consulate Istanbul.  These factors have 
increased the staff substantially: in the last five years, the 
Consulate has added one FSO and six LES positions, an increase 
of 50%.  In the coming two years this growth is expected to 
continue as a new Regional Security Officer position is in the 
pipeline and two-to-three LES positions are also likely to be 
established.  Until now, these new hires have been shoehorned 
into existing space, but that is no longer an option.  Without a 
clear strategy for addressing this problem that is backed by 
necessary resources, overcrowding and discomfort will undermine 
efficiency and morale, degrading operational effectiveness. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U) In 2003, the Consulate was forced to move on short 
notice from a leased downtown location due to security concerns 
and our then-landlord's desire to reclaim the property.  The USG 
purchased a 2.7-acre (11,000 square meters) compound on the 
highway between Adana and IAB; the site houses two conjoined 
buildings constructed in the mid-1980s that had been used by a 
media company as a newspaper office (front building) and print 
shop (rear building).  The original renovation was completed 
quickly due to time constraints and only the lower floor of the 
front building was overhauled to USG specs.  In the original 
work, 3,100 sq. ft. were renovated and all operations (consular 
waiting room, offices, computer server rooms, etc.) were 
squeezed into this area.  A conference room/dining 
area/reception room and kitchen (about 1,000 sq. ft.) were 
subsequently built on the second floor.  In the front building, 
there is an additional 1,300 sq. ft. on the second floor that 
could be converted into office space.  The back building, 
meanwhile, has about 6,000 sq. ft. of useable space that could 
be converted. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) Besides lack of space, the current building has other 
shortcomings: 
 
 
 
--perimeter security upgrades are needed, including anti-ram 
protection and enhanced security measures for the rear vehicle 
gate (these are being addressed through existing projects). 
 
 
 
--the offices are located in the section of the building that is 
closest to the front wall, affording only 64 feet of set-back; 
earlier this year projectiles hurled by protesters hit office 
windows. 
 
 
 
--there is no central HVAC system so the office relies on 
inefficient wall units and a rudimentary air-circulation system 
that does not pump in fresh air. 
 
 
 
--due to sub-par construction standards, as the back building 
settles, cracks in the plaster appear daily and some pieces of 
the roof have broken off. 
 
 
 
--post does not have the capability to process classified 
 
ADANA 00000021  002 OF 004 
 
 
information. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U) Given the amount of unused office space in the existing 
complex, there are numerous options for expanding which would 
address the need for more office space as well as some of the 
building's other shortcomings.  An explication of the four main 
options and recommendations for next steps follows.  The 
Ambassador and post favor Option One. 
 
 
 
Option One: Second-Floor Renovation - Front of Building, No 
Structural Reinforcement 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Renovating existing office space immediately above the 
offices currently occupied would be the least expensive way 
forward.  It would increase office space by about 30% and could 
be completed for $1-2 million since the necessary security 
upgrades are underway.  Questions have been raised about the 
load-bearing capacity of the second floor and whether the 
additional weight of office furniture would pose safety 
concerns.  An OBO-commissioned study completed in 2003 concluded 
the second floor could be used for nominal office loads without 
undue safety concerns, adding that the structure had performed 
well in the 18 years prior to the analysis.  Pros and cons for 
this option: 
 
 
 
Pros: 
 
--minimal disruption to on-going Consulate operations; 
 
--relatively modest cost. 
 
 
 
Cons: 
 
--offices would still be with 100 feet of front fence. 
 
 
 
Option Two: Second-Floor Renovation - Front of Building, With 
Structural Reinforcement 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
 
 
¶7.  (U)  If we determine that the second floor requires 
reinforcement to sustain office operations, then this project 
becomes far more complicated because operations downstairs could 
not continue during the installation of shoring supports on the 
lower level. 
 
 
 
Pros: 
 
--project could incorporate renovation/redesign of downstairs 
offices as well; 
 
--new space could include classified processing area. 
 
 
 
 
 
Cons: 
 
--staff offices would need to be relocated during construction 
to trailers or into rented space. 
 
--offices would still be with 100 feet of front fence. 
 
 
 
Option Three: Second-Floor Renovation - Back of Building 
 
 
ADANA 00000021  003 OF 004 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
-------------- 
 
 
 
¶8.  (U) About 70% of the total potential office space is 
currently unused or underutilized.  This includes about 6000 
square feet of space on the second floor of the back building - 
nearly double our current office space.  Converting this part of 
the building for office use would take full advantage of the 
compound's size for set-back considerations, but it would be 
require that part of the building to be reinforced for 
earthquakes. 
 
 
 
Pros: 
 
--enlarged area would provide for more representational/meeting 
space; 
 
--set-back problem would be resolved; 
 
--no need for relocation of current office during construction; 
 
 
 
Cons: 
 
--Cost: seismic-proofing of existing structure may cost as much 
as starting from scratch; 
 
--current warehouse and vehicle garage would need to be 
relocated during construction; 
 
 
 
Option Four: New, Purpose-Built "Green" Consulate 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------------- 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U) If rehabilitating the back building is too expensive, 
the final - possibly even less expensive - option is to raze it 
and build a modern structure on the existing foundation.  Such a 
project may be possible without disrupting operations in the 
front building.  A new building would project a more attractive 
American presence and incorporating "green" design principles 
would translate into millions of dollars in energy costs over 
the lifetime of the building given Adana's solar-rich 
environment. 
 
 
 
Pros: 
 
--new structure would meet all seismic and engineering codes; 
 
--new facility offers more program options (e.g. visa services, 
classified processing) 
 
--using modern design would result in long-term energy savings; 
 
--set-back problem would be resolved; 
 
 
 
Cons: 
 
--if project constitutes a "new build," it would require 
congressional approval; 
 
--current warehouse and vehicle garage would need to be 
relocated during construction. 
 
 
 
Recommendation 
 
---------------------- 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U) The first step in this process is to conclude 
definitively whether Option One is feasible or whether the 
second floor of the front building would require enhancements to 
accommodate additional weight.  This can be accomplished by a 
 
ADANA 00000021  004 OF 004 
 
 
formal review of the 2003 report ("Structural Condition 
Assessment and Seismic Evaluation of the EXSA Building in Adana, 
Turkey," February, 2003, Wiss, Janney & Elstner Associates) plus 
additional input from upcoming site visits by OBO personnel in 
the next four-to-six weeks.  If Option One is feasible, then it 
should be pursued as the most cost-effective and rapid path to 
resolve the current space issues confronting the Consulate. 
 
 
 
¶11.  (U) If Option One is not technically feasible, then an OBO 
design team should visit the site and conduct a thorough 
analysis and work with post management to determine the best 
course of action among the remaining three options. 
 
 
 
¶12.  (U) An email version of this cable with photos is 
available.  Please contact solomonrd@state.gov. 
GREEN