Steuben County office bids come in under budget – Elmira Star-Gazette

Amanda Renko , arenko@stargazette.com | @SGAmandaR Published 2:08 p.m. ET March 28, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago

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Plans to expand Steuben County government offices will move forward after Monday's approval of construction bids by county legislators.

The legislature approved $5.62 million in bids for a project that will result in a new office building on East Morris Street in Bath, as well as a records storage building on Mount Washington Road.

Costs came in below an $8.9 million budget set for the office space project, according to a news release from Steuben County.

Low bids listed in a resolution approved by legislators Mondayincluded $4,020,250 for general construction from Edger Enterprises, $574,800 for electrical construction from Schuler-Haas Electric Corp., $636,000 for mechanical construction from Louis N. Picciano and Son Inc., and $492,400 for plumbing from Nairy Mechanical LLC.

Legislators also approved a change order that would allow for the construction of a third-floor shell on the East Morris Street building as long as costs remain under budget, allowing for future expansion if necessary.

The new buildings will allow for breathing room in the existingoffice building and expanded space for departments, several of which are growing because of state-mandated programs, according to the release.

Once complete, the East Morris Street building will house the county board of elections and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County, freeing up existing space for other departments. The new building alsowill include conference space that can hold up to 150 people and can be split into smaller rooms, as well as a place to store electronic voting machines.

Two county-owned homes on East Morris Street, across from the county courthouse, were recently demolished to clear the way for the new building.

The Mount Washington Road building will house records that are not in usebut are required to be retained. Those files are currently kept at a space the county leases.

Bonding and reserve funds will cover the project's costs without raising property taxes, officials said.

We believe that this project will allow the county to address the immediate shortage of space, while also planning for future needs, said County Manager Jack Wheeler. Its a fiscally responsible plan that will create efficiencies in county services.

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Steuben County office bids come in under budget - Elmira Star-Gazette