Sahara DMV office ready to reopen

Andy Holtmann

Friday, July 25, 1997 | 8:52 a.m.

The Department of Motor Vehicles office at 2701 E. Sahara Ave. will reopen Monday at 6 a.m., ending nearly 10 months of renovations undertaken to improve efficiency.

Customers waited in line about 1 1/2 hours before the closing last October. The remodeling, which will allow customers to remain seated until their turns, is hoped to have reduced this to around 15 minutes.

Included in the remodeling are an information area, service counters and an outdoor drop box.

"We should see a more customer friendly environment," said Steve Leon, DMV public information officer. "The patience that our customers have displayed with the remodeling is highly appreciated."

New carpeting and tile were laid and the 25-year-old heating and air conditioning systems were replaced. Automated teller machines, snack machines, and a mini-express station for simple transactions will serve as added customer convenience.

Staff members underwent training Wednesday and Thursday in a final effort to ensure that their grand re-opening goes smoothly. The temporary trailer offices that sit in the parking lot will close Thursday and remain closed through the remainder of the weekend so staff can transfer files and equipment to the new facility. Customers are advised to use one of the other facilities for weekend transactions.

Office hours will be 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. An official dedication of the building is scheduled for late next month.

"We hope to stimulate customers to utilize the Sahara office again," said Leon. "The office will definitely be back to a full-scale operation, but this time the public will see a DMV unlike any other."