NORWICH – The Chenango County Office Building may see a major face-lift as county officials continue to weigh options of a multi-million dollar overhaul of the facility.

County Buildings and Grounds Director Julie Gates met with county legislators last week to provide updates in the planning stages of the project which, if carried out to the construction phase, will result in extensive renovations to the 1960, 1975, and 1991 wings.

The county's contracted with the private engineering firm Barton and Loguidice for design. The company's currently coordinating efforts with Chenango County department heads to create a useful and efficient layout, said Gates.

“We're hoping to keep the project under $10 million,” said County Board Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, adding doubts that a completely new building – which would cost local taxpayers an estimated $26 million – would prove any better.

The scope of the project goes far beyond minor renovations undertaken in 2014, when the county court system was relocated from the County Office Building to its current home in the Eaton Center. Rather than moving temporary walls, engineers are now looking at more permanent changes to the building blueprint. Plans include a complete gutting of the 1960s wing and upgrading the building's electric, windows, and airflow system. Workers will also have to remove spray-on asbestos in the ceiling that was originally added for fire protection.

Wilcox believes upgrades will satisfy departments' needs and even extend the life of the County Office Building by another 60 years. The key word, he said, is “efficiency.”

“Once we moved the court system out – the DA and the public defender – it gave us a lot of excess room. We aren't maximizing the room of the third floor,” said Wilcox. Better utilization of space will help day-to-day business run more smoothly, he added.

“We also want the public to get in and out easily,” said Gates.

Gates explained that while the building currently meets ADA standards, one driving force behind proposed renovations is making the building more ADA friendly by relocating certain departments, including the DMV, and installing another elevator in the front entrance of the 60s wing.

“We've got an elevator in the 1991 wing, but people come in the front of the 1960s wing and realize there's not an elevator there,” she said. “That was one of the major things we want to make sure is addressed – accessibility. Everyone should be able to get in the building easily. They should be able to use all the services they can without going in the 1991 wing, using the elevator, and going all the way back down the 60s wing just to get to the DMV or the clerk's office.”

County officials hope to have a finalized floor plan and a total cost estimate by September before moving ahead with the next phase of the project.

“I've been very pleased with the reception of department heads,” said Wilcox. “We're moving forward with something that we think is making things better.”