Orange County Government Center
Encyclopedia
The Orange County Government Center, located on Main Street (NY 207
) in Goshen
, New York
, is as its name suggests the main office of the government of Orange County
. It houses most county officials' offices and meetings of the county legislature. The records of Orange County Court and all deed
s and mortgages filed in the county are kept there as well. An office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
is located on the first floor. It was designed by noted architect
and dean
of the Yale School of Architecture
Paul Rudolph
in 1963 and built in 1967.
A courtyard
divides the portion of the building hosting the executive and legislative branches from the half that hosted County Court until the late 1990s, when the state's Court Facilities Capital Review Board deemed the old courthouse unfit for use. A new addition was built to its north to house the courts and opened in the early 2000s, at considerable cost and frequent delay.
Its architecture has been subject to some criticism. At the time of its construction it was called a "monstrosity". "If I took a poll in town, it would be demolished tomorrow," County Executive
Edward Diana said in 2010. That year he proposed a replacement building, but the county legislature balked at the $114 million cost during difficult economic times.
The building has had problems over its life. It leaked severely enough after a heavy storm in 1970 that the Finance Department had to stretch a tarpaulin
across the ceiling.
Today many of its 87 roofs leak and it has also become expensive to heat.
So great are these problems, that when Diana considered demolishing
it to build a new one in early 2004 the objections raised were purely financial. However, the costs of doing so are prohibitive enough that the idea has been dropped. At the same time it is uncertain whether it would be feasible to repair the building, and demolition is still the strongest possibility.
There have been some architects who have urged the building's preservation, however, pointing to its historic value, Rudolph's stature as an architect, and the imaginative use of space within the building. The Paul Rudolph Foundation has been working to preserve both it and Chorley School in nearby Middletown
, which has been slated for demolition. Some even consider it beautiful. New York's State Historic Preservation Office
has found it eligible for listing on the state and National Registers of Historic Places
, and an online campaign has begun to save it for both historic and economic reasons.
In 2011, flood damage from Hurricane Irene
closed the building for over a week. Mold
had been growing in spaces in some rooms, including the grand jury
room, and there were concerns it might become unsafe for use by those with respiratory problems. The day after it reopened, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee
deluged the area, and it was closed again until further notice. The following week, Diana pressed county legislators to make a decision soon on whether to renovate the building or restore it.
New York State Route 207
New York State Route 207 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the village of Goshen and the city of Newburgh. It has for a long time provided the main access to Stewart International Airport...
) in Goshen
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is as its name suggests the main office of the government of Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. It houses most county officials' offices and meetings of the county legislature. The records of Orange County Court and all deed
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
s and mortgages filed in the county are kept there as well. An office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is the governmental agency responsible for registering and inspecting automobiles and other motor vehicles as well as NYS Enhanced Driver License/Driver License and Enhanced Non-Driver Photo ID Card/Non-Driver Photo ID Card in the U.S...
is located on the first floor. It was designed by noted architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Yale School of Architecture
Yale School of Architecture
The Yale School of Architecture is one of the constituent professional schools of Yale University. It is generally considered to be one of the most prestigious architecture schools in the world.- History :...
Paul Rudolph
Paul Rudolph (architect)
Paul Marvin Rudolph was an American architect and the dean of the Yale School of Architecture for six years, known for use of concrete and highly complex floor plans...
in 1963 and built in 1967.
A courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
divides the portion of the building hosting the executive and legislative branches from the half that hosted County Court until the late 1990s, when the state's Court Facilities Capital Review Board deemed the old courthouse unfit for use. A new addition was built to its north to house the courts and opened in the early 2000s, at considerable cost and frequent delay.
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
Edward Diana said in 2010. That year he proposed a replacement building, but the county legislature balked at the $114 million cost during difficult economic times.
The building has had problems over its life. It leaked severely enough after a heavy storm in 1970 that the Finance Department had to stretch a tarpaulin
Tarpaulin
A tarpaulin, colloquially tarp, is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with urethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. In some places such as Australia, and in military slang, a tarp may be known as a...
across the ceiling.
Today many of its 87 roofs leak and it has also become expensive to heat.
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
it to build a new one in early 2004 the objections raised were purely financial. However, the costs of doing so are prohibitive enough that the idea has been dropped. At the same time it is uncertain whether it would be feasible to repair the building, and demolition is still the strongest possibility.
There have been some architects who have urged the building's preservation, however, pointing to its historic value, Rudolph's stature as an architect, and the imaginative use of space within the building. The Paul Rudolph Foundation has been working to preserve both it and Chorley School in nearby Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
, which has been slated for demolition. Some even consider it beautiful. New York's State Historic Preservation Office
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation operates :*168 state parks*35 state historic sites*76 developed beaches*53 water recreational facilities*27 golf courses*39 full service cottages*818 cabins...
has found it eligible for listing on the state and National Registers of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and an online campaign has begun to save it for both historic and economic reasons.
In 2011, flood damage from Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
closed the building for over a week. Mold
Mold
Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...
had been growing in spaces in some rooms, including the grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
room, and there were concerns it might become unsafe for use by those with respiratory problems. The day after it reopened, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee
Tropical Storm Lee (2011)
Tropical Storm Lee was the twelfth named storm and thirteenth system overall of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, developing from a broad tropical disturbance over the Gulf on September 1. It was designated as Tropical Storm Lee the next day...
deluged the area, and it was closed again until further notice. The following week, Diana pressed county legislators to make a decision soon on whether to renovate the building or restore it.
External links
- Save OCGC home page