NORWICH - With the announced closure of the Grand Union grocery store in downtown Norwich by March 1, 2026, Chenango County has a timely opportunity to reconsider how it meets its long-term office space needs in a fiscally responsible and community-minded way.

Rather than pursuing the costly construction of a new county office building, I urge county leadership to seriously evaluate the former Grand Union commercial building as a potential county office facility through renovation and lease.

There are several strong, evidence-based reasons this building deserves careful consideration:

1. Ground-floor access and ADA suitability

Large-format grocery stores are designed for universal access, with wide corridors, minimal elevation changes, and substantial square footage on a single level. These features align closely with modern ADA accessibility standards and reduce the need for expensive structural modifications often required in older multi-story buildings.

2. Excellent existing parking infrastructure

The Grand Union site already includes extensive off-street parking, designed to accommodate high daily traffic volumes. This far exceeds the parking capacity available at the current county office complex and eliminates the need for costly land acquisition or parking structure construction.

3. Ideal location for the Chenango County Department of Social Services

The county’s  public-facing departments are among the most heavily visited county services. Locating these services in a ground-floor, parking-rich facility improves accessibility for residents, reduces congestion at the Court Street campus, and aligns with best practices used in counties across New York State.

4. Simplified and cost-effective security design

A single primary public entrance — common in former grocery store layouts — allows for efficient implementation of modern security measures such as controlled access points, reception screening, and surveillance. This is far more economical than retrofitting multiple entrances across several floors in an office tower-style building.

5. Prevents a large downtown vacancy

Leaving a building of this size vacant risks long-term blight, loss of foot traffic, and deterioration. Repurposing it for county use would stabilize a major downtown property and support surrounding businesses.

6. Keeps the property on the tax rolls if leased

Unlike new county-owned construction, leasing the building would preserve property tax revenue for the City of Norwich and the county’s tax base — an important consideration at a time when residents are increasingly sensitive to rising taxes.

7. Supports the property owner

Leasing the building provides economic stability for the landlord, reduces the risk of abandonment or disrepair, and keeps a significant commercial asset productive.

8. Likely far less expensive than new construction

Numerous studies and municipal case examples show that adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings typically costs significantly less per square foot than new government construction — especially when accounting for land acquisition, infrastructure, and long-term debt service. Renovation timelines are also shorter, allowing departments to move sooner while avoiding escalating construction costs.

Taken together, these factors point to a solution that is practical, fiscally conservative, and beneficial to both county operations and the downtown Norwich community.

Before committing $35+ million of taxpayer dollars to new construction, Chenango County owes residents a transparent, side-by-side comparison of leasing and renovating existing commercial space versus building new. The former Grand Union building presents a rare opportunity to do exactly that.

I respectfully ask the Board of Supervisors to include this option in its formal evaluation process and to  schedule a town hall style meeting in February  to engage the public in an open discussion before irreversible decisions are made.  I also ask the board to  implement streaming and recording of monthly board meetings before the March 2026 board meeting, giving access to all residents regardless of their work schedules.

Chenango county residents, it’s  imperative  you contact your county supervisor now and advocate for the town hall meeting and the streaming/recording of board meetings. This letter to the editor is one small step to affect change.  Your participation is absolutely essential!

Sincerely,

Missy Hayes

Business owner and resident since 1989

Norwich, NY