County’s new Justice Center expected to open this month

CATSKILL―The shuffling for coveted office space has begun in earnest as moving day approaches at the new Greene County Justice Center.

County legislature members are not directly involved, cozy in their digs on the fourth floor of the Main Street county building, but several other departments are hoping to fulfill their wish list.

All of the shifting will be happening as work comes to an end at the Justice Center, an addition to the existing county courthouse.

The $28.8 million project is slightly off schedule but “still under budget,” according to County Administrator Shaun Groden.

As much as one million dollars could be returned to the General Fund when the job is done on the new home for the District Attorney and Public Defender offices. It is expected that their current offices will begin being emptied in mid-May, taking staff two or three weeks to fully relocate.

In the meantime, there are several agencies that have made it known they could also use more elbow room―which is why the new wing was built.

County officials, two years ago, determined there was a need for the district attorney and public defender to spread out due to changes in the legal system and a resultant cramping of turf. There have been major increases in discovery responsibilities related to evidentiary processes, with an accompanying need to find places to preserve the materials and produce them in court.

More technology is required along with more personnel to handle the task, more tightly squeezing what was already a smushed situation.

“We have literally been using broom closets, anywhere we could fit people and things,” Legislative Chairman Patrick Linger said.

The district attorney and public defender will be joined in the three-story structure by the State Office of Court Administration which will be paying for its continuing occupancy, moving over from the old courthouse.

They are a welcome partner in terms of their $5 million up-front contribution to the initial cost and accompanying $140,000 annual lease.

When the new wing is occupied, the grand jury room will be on the third floor along with the district attorney and public defender offices. The middle floor is home to the Office of Court Administration along with a suite for the State appellate judge with a large window looking out on Bridge Street.

Groden says an “architectural statement” is being made with an open and picturesquely winding lobby stairway linking the upper floors.

The area is illuminated by skylights, providing natural light and an “aura of respect,” Groden said, noting the same feeling was inspired by the entranceway to the old courthouse.

“When you were walking in there, with the columns and spaciousness, you knew we were walking into a place with decorum,” Groden said.

That entry has since been shuttered, giving way to a security entrance on the east side of the building that will remain the primary way inside.

Another level of internal security will henceforth be operational between the legal offices and bottom floor parking garage, reserved for court personnel.

Particular attention has been given to ensuring the new wing does not rise above the old courthouse and cupola.

An elevated, glass-walled walkway connects the two buildings, made by blasting a hole in the back wall of the old courthouse to facilitate the link.

Scheduling delays occurred principally in the lead-up to construction, preparing the dirt under what was formerly the county jail.

Despite diligent pre-dig researching of original maps and blueprints, more money had to be spent on excavation of aged water and sewer lines that were discovered deep underground, leading to added labor.

While they are covered by normal contingency funds, “nobody likes change orders,” Groden said.

“We did 60 or 80 borings before doing any digging,” he explained. “Nothing came up. It may be hard for people to understand how we missed them, but suffice it to say that some as-built documentation from the late 1800’s was probably inaccurate.”

As far as who gets what when the district attorney and public defender have left the premises, everything is “up in the air,” Groden said.

“We have a lot of requests,” Groden said. “We’ll see where we end up. We had hoped to be in by April but business is operating as usual.”

A formal dedication could unfold in July as part of celebrations for the nation’s 250th birthday outside the courthouse.