BATH -- Bids for an extensive overhaul of the Steuben County Office Building could begin soon, with the county Legislature agreeing Monday to hire Werth Construction Services, LLC, of Binghamton as the project’s construction manager. The county will pay Werth roughly $484,000 to oversee the project, now estimated at a cost of $10 million. The plan -- mandated by the state Office of Court Administration (OCA) -- will convert the majority of the space of the third floor in the County Office Building into court-related offices and courtrooms. The plan is expected to take four years to complete and to provide a more efficient, secure and effective court system. Expected changes include:
· The Administration, Planning and Legislative offices and chambers will move out of the main complex and into the Annex. The Annex now houses the county Board of Elections, Records, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County and conference rooms.
· Departments on the first and second floors of the County Office Building, such the Department of Motor Vehicles, Probation and the Department of Social Services will remain in place.
· The Department of Public Works will likely move from the second floor to the first floor and the County Clerk’s Office will remain at its current location in the county Courthouse.
· The District Attorney’s offices will move to the county Courthouse and the county Public Defender’s offices would remain in the Surrogate Courthouse/Balcom House.
