Proposed DMV Layout - River Street

These drawings were presented at the public meeting on Thursday August 21 at 7:30 pm. The meeting was held in the Cortland County Office Building and was attended by approximately 30 people.

The final DMV drawings will be presented to the B&G Committee at the September 9 meeting (7:30am).

You may click each jpeg to view a larger picture.

My Email to Concerned Citizens for Neighborhood Preservation

Good afternoon friends,

Last week the Cortland County Legislature approved conceptual plans to relocate the Office on Aging to the South Main Street site. This was based upon a study performed and presented by Barton and Loguidice (B&L) and JCM Associates of Syracuse, in which the space needs of the Aging Office were reviewed, and those needs laid out with its associated parking on the Woods and Moose properties. The result is a building of approximately 22,400 square feet, with 90 parking spaces on the 1.45 acre site which the County now owns. For information, all of the residential properties from the failed deal in 2005/06 have been settled in court and are no longer being considered for purchase.

I voted for the resolution for two main reasons:

1) I felt that the site can accommodate the building with some revisions, and will more appropriately fit into the scale and character of the neighborhood than the proposed (failed) combined health facility from 2005.

2) Moving the Aging office will allow for the development of a master plan at the Cortland County Office Building, and can co-locate all of the Health services into one building by relocating the Mental Health on Clayton Avenue and the Horizon House on Grant Street into the CCOB.

I believe that the building and site will require further review and revisions, including the final orientation of the building, access to the site and the "final" size of the building. Although the building was optimized for 22,400 square feet, the needs of the Aging office building was closer to 17,500 square feet. There is 5000 square feet of building, plus considerable basement space that was added to the building to optimize it on the site. This item will require assessment and determination as to whether this space is necessary and if it impacts the overall site due to the added size to the building. In addition, further development of the site will most likely lead to building aspect/footprint and rotate the building so the parking will be accessed from Main Street. The proposed site includes one way in and out via public alley and assumed easements, neither of which I support. I am in contact with County Planning and will be working with the consultants to ensure our neighbor streets are safe. I have attached the pdf of the report and the site for your information.

We are in the process of soliciting the design proposal for this site, as well as the DMV/ Board of Elections on River Street. Once the proposals are approved, I will be working with the Buildings and Grounds Committee and Kathie Wilcox (LD-5 Legislator), along with the consultants, the Aging Office, the Planning Department to develop three options of the South Main Street building and site design. These options will be reviewed the neighborhood residents . I encourage your attendance and input and will provide notice of those public meetings.

I thank you for your support and look forward to this project and serving the community as your elected representative in the County Legislature.

Regards,
Chad Loomis, PE
County Legislator, Ward 8
B&G Committee Chair

www.cortlandcrossroads.blogspot.com

June Update - County Office Building Space Study

Barton and Loguidice /JCM Associates recently submitted the final CCOB space analysis. It was delivered on June 24. I am currently reviewing the data and hope to form a committee to begin laying out the master plan for the facility. Copies have been distributed to the entire Legislature.

We hope to couple the plan with the NYSERDA energy audit findings, and apply for funding to help offset renovation costs as we upgrade lighting and HVAC systems with more energy efficient technology.

Some of the alternatives being considered are the consolidation of the Mental Health facility on Clayton Avenue and the Horizon House on Grant Street into the COB. Both facilities were identified as undersized and poorly laid out for the services provided. Co-locating these departments with the Health Department should provide better services for the community and more efficient operations, saving taxpayers money.

The Horizon House facility is currently owned by Cortland County. The Mental Health building is currently leased through the end of 2010.

June Update - South Main Street

At the June Legislature session, a resolution was passed to begin design on a new Area Agency on Aging Office.

For those unaware with the function of the program - http://www.cortland-co.org/ofa/Default.htm

The space study performed by Barton and Loguidice and JCM Architectural Associates indicated that the Aging Offices was in need of more and better organized area. The optimal program would require approximately 17,300 square feet. This is approximately 35% more than the current program.

The resolution passed called for a two story, 22,400 square foot building with full basement (making the total building area 33,600 square feet). The Democratic caucus and debate on the floor during the vote led to an overall decision to proceed with the design of the building. The additional space at this point (more than 5,000 square feet) appears to be surge space to optimize building size on the site.

I voted to proceed with the building design, however I stressed that the building in its current orientation, siting and size may be subject to change based upon further Code review and development of the plan. I agreed that two or three options will be developed for selection by the Legislature in conjunction with the area residents. May largest concern was access to the parking lot, which is currently shown as two single one-way driving lanes: an entry lane from William Street and and exit lane to Randall Street. These details will be worked out as the project moves ahead.

I plan to form a subcommittee to work with the Aging Office, the consultants, and the neighborhood residents. I will be inviting members of the Concerned Citizens for Neighborhood Preservation to participate in the subcommittee meetings.

June Update - DMV

On Thursday, June 26 the Legislature voted to proceed with the design of a nominal 7500 square feet DMV and Board of Elections office on River Street. There were two other sizes of building considered at 6500 and 4000 square feet, respectively however the first vote passed to provide adequate space for the DMV, BOE office and storage of the new voting machines.

The new voting machines are scheduled to arrive in the immediate future, and they will be temporarily be stored at County owned or leased property until the permanent facility is completed. The machines require routine maintenance and testing, and must be contained in a temperature and humidity controlled environment with power connections to allow for the machines to function properly. That, combined with the fact the the BOE and DMV are both independent departments from the remainder of the County yet share Motor Voter registration was the reason I supported and voted for the 7500 square foot building option.

Moving the BOE out of the Cortland County Office Building is one of the first steps to renovate and upgrade the CCOB. At only 1000 square feet, their current space can be utilized for other departments as the master plan is developed and implemented.

I will be forming a sub-committee to work the the consultant, the County Clerk, Elections Office, County Planning and the area residents.