Building issues force LTVA out of their South Lake Tahoe office

The California office of Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority (LTVA) has been closed due to roof and flooding issues, with all of their operations in their Stateline office, for now.

Last year's flooding caused LTVA to rip out the carpet in the back of the building which was the first county jail at the lake, opening in 1947. Three staff executives who had their offices at the rear of the building were moved to the front.

Along with the carpet issue there has been an ongoing challenge with a leaking roof this winter, according to LTVA Executive Director Carol Chaplin. They are now concerned with wet electrical components as well as wet walls.

"We felt we needed to take precautions and move the staff," said Chaplin. "Under the circumstances it wasn’t a friendly place and not presenting well to the visitor."

Besides LTVA management staff, there was a Visitor Center manager and two part-time employees at the front county. To give some staff more hours they are keeping the Nevada location open seven days with longer daily operating hours.

City of South Lake Tahoe Assistant Public Works Director Jim Marino is getting a roofer to come up and give them an estimate. Since the building is vacant there will also be an environmental test given as well as testing for asbestos since the building is so old. The building is not condemned.

Who will have to pay for it will be a question in the future since the building is owned by the County and managed by the City, just as the museum and Senior Center are. The area has been referred to as the 56-acre project which will be on the May 1 City Council agenda.

Once the testing and estimates are completed, LTVA will be able to determine if returning to the old jail, or looking for another California side location.

In the meantime, the Nevada offices for LTVA are located at 169 U.S. 50 in Stateline. Their phone number is 775-588-5900.

Prior to LTVA being in the building, the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce was there until 2006. The jail bars are still in place in the rear, though they have been storage rooms for the last decade.