NORWICH – The West Park Place Office project got off the ground Monday with a unanimous vote to separate the former Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and Jail building into two and proceed with renovating the exteriors and a limited amount of the interiors.

The initial funding of the estimated $2.3 million project will come from a jail repairs account and unnappropriated surplus. County leaders hope to partner with the Department of Social Services or another entity from within the county’s structure to gain state and/or federal funding for the remaining interior work.

Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown said the decision to proceed with the project was “a major undertaking” by members of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. “We decided to take our lead from what the City of Norwich has done with its recent renovations of old buildings. We wanted to keep with the same downtown theme as the two railroad stations, the police and fire station,” he said.

Prior to the vote, Town of Plymouth Supervisor Jerry L. Kreiner asked whether a partner had been pinpointed and whether the county’s courts could be depended on for financial assistance.