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Some Lewis County Departments
Could Have New Locations in the Coming Year
12/09/18 12:30am       By: Nick Altmire
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    Lowville, NY- As Lewis County continues to deal with space issues and
    efficiencies for housing the various departments of county government, some
    departments may find new homes in 2019, at least on a temporary basis.

    Space and efficiency have been a concern for a number of years, with some
    county departments housed in leased space.

    The Lewis County Board of Legislators has commissioned a number of studies
    and architectural plans, dating back to 2012, while trying to determine the
    space needs for county departments and the best path forward.

    In September of 2017, the Board commissioned BCA Architects and Engineers
    to do a Strategic Facilities Plan at a cost of $48,000. The plan was presented
    to the Board in April, with little action taken by the Board to date. Lewis County
    Manager Ryan Piche has proposed a series of work sessions with the Board,
    starting in January, to work on establishing a five year facilities plan and how
    that plan would be funded.

    With the completion of the Jefferson Community College Lewis County
    Education Center on track for January 1st, Cornell Cooperative Extension of
    Lewis County will be vacating their space at the Department of Social Services
    (DSS) building on Stowe Street and relocate to their new 20,000 square-foot
    space at the Education Center.

    At the December 4th meeting of the Board of Legislators, a motion was made
    and approved to relocate the County's Office for the Aging and Community
    Services departments to the space vacated by Cornell at the DSS building,
    when available. Both offices are currently located in leased space at the
    Lowville Commons building on South State Street. The move would be a
    temporary fix, as the plan commissioned by BCA indicates that the DSS
    building is in need of a full renovation or replacement. The move would save
    over $48,000 in annual rent the County pays, by housing the departments in a
    County-owned building.

    The County has also been discussing plans to relocate the Department of
    Motor Vehicles, currently located outside of Lowville on State Route 12, to a
    building they are interested in leasing on East State Street in the village of
    Lowville.

    The County is currently working on negotiating an agreement with the
    building's owner, and a floor plan has been devised by the Lewis County
    Buildings & Grounds department for the location. Buildings & Grounds would
    perform the minor renovations needed to accommodate the DMV in the new
    location, at an estimated cost of around $3,000 for materials.

    The BCA plan recommended that the County should consider moving the
    Department of Motor Vehicles to another site, stating the building is remote and
    only marginally functional for its use.

    In addition, the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce, currently located in the
    Bateman building downtown, is in discussions to potentially move their office to
    the Center for Business (the former Climax building) in the coming year. While
    the Chamber is not officially a department of the County, it does receive a
    substantial amount of its funding through the County.

    Ultimately, based on the recommendations of the BCA study, the County will
    need to decide whether or not to construct a new County office building in the
    future, which plans were commissioned for in 2012, or to continue leasing
    outside space to house County agencies.