NORWICH – For years, a three-phase plan has been in the works to relocate the Chenango County Historian’s office and archives, along with Chenango County Historical Society archives, from the basement of the current building to the newly-developed James S. Flanagan History Research Center at 43 Rexford Street.
The construction of the research center (phase I) and relocation of county and CCHS archives (phase II) will free up space to make interior renovations at the museum on the corner of Rexford and Silver Streets (phase III). The research center is 99 percent complete, said CCHS Director Alan Estus. A handicap accessible ramp is all that’s needed to obtain a certificate of occupancy. When the ramp is built, the county historian will move in.
The center’s also missing an elevator, which will be installed later. Financial setbacks are keeping an elevator out for now, estimated to cost between $50,000 and $80,000.
In a CCHS newsletter, Estus noted that money wasn’t available for this part of the project when it began.
“A conscious decision was made to begin, knowing total funding had yet to be secured,” he wrote. But donations kept the building project going as it “became apparent the organization is a ‘can do’ group.”
“I think our efforts to show that we have an open, vibrant organization are starting to work ... It’s been a big undertaking for an organization this size,” said Estus.
County Historian Patricia Evans has spent several weeks packing archives and documents, preparing to move from the CCHS building.
“We’re looking forward to the move,” she said. “This summer, we hope to be up and running again just as the office is now.”
In addition to freeing up space at the museum, another key benefit in having the research center will be the availability of combined archives from the county historian and CCHS, which will make research for county residents easier, explained Estus.
“We have significant archival records here that we want to get people to view and enjoy,” he said.
Phase II will be an ongoing process. While county archives are well organized, those belonging to the historical society are “chaotic,” Estus said. Plans are to reorganize CCHS archives before moving them into the research center – a process that could take several months.
“Building was the easy part. Now, we have to work out some of the details,” Estus said.
When archives are moved, space will be free to commence phase III – museum construction. Proposed renovations at CCHS include a new furnace, refurbished restrooms, more efficient insulation, and adjustments to make the building more handicap accessible. Hopes are to begin that phase within 18 months.
The idea to separate space between the county historian and CCHS began ten years ago with a proposed $3 million building addition to the former ward school that houses CCHS. The plan went far beyond the fiscal means of the agency and the county, Estus said, and further planning led to the purchase and rehabilitation of the property adjacent to the museum. When all building is completed, Estus estimates the total amount reach approximately $850,000.
“We have significant archival records here that we want to get people to view and enjoy,” he said.
While CCHS has more building plans for the future, Estus admitted it’s a distant goal. Each phase of the building campaign is contingent on funding and the completion of the previous phase. Funding is still needed to completely finish the research center and phase III is an “unfunded concept,” he said.
“We have to keep infrastructure in order but at the same time, we have to promote our educational mission. You can only manage so many things effectively,” said Estus.