By JEANETTE WOLFBERG
HUDSON–Columbia County Engineer Ray Jurkowski reported “pretty active” planning for remodeling the interior of 11 Warren Street for county office space and foresaw construction beginning in September, while the County Board of Supervisors authorized purchasing “materials and services” associated with this project, at the board’s monthly meeting March 12.
The county bought the building in late 2023. Now, Mr. Jurkowski said, the county anticipates receiving construction documents from the design team in early April, holding a meeting for comments, putting the project out to bid in mid-May, closing the bidding period at the end of June, and starting construction September 8, after contractors finish their school projects.
Mr. Jurkowski announced that the county has received $780,000 from the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services (ILS), because two of the departments moving into 11 Warren are the Public Defender and Conflict Defender. The county must use the money within a certain time frame, but it can use it for services like fire alarms that benefit other departments as well, as long as they benefit those two departments as well.
Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling (New Lebanon) asked what the effect on costs will be if federal tariffs with Canada and Mexico that President Trump has proposed go into effect. Mr. Jurkowski replied that once the bid goes out, the price is locked in.
For 11 Warren Street, the supervisors authorized the purchase of materials and services, including carpet tile, ceiling tile, electrical panels, plumbing fixtures, interior LED Troffer Lighting, exterior recessed lighting, lighting control sensors, a fire alarm system, exterior security cameras, and a door card/fob access system. The cost for all of these could total up to $203,000. The office furniture and equipment will be the standard the county wants for all departments.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jurkowski said he asked the City of Hudson its preference on exterior design “months ago” and has not heard from the city on exterior design.
Departments the county hopes to move there include Public Defender, Conflict Defender, Probation, and Board of Elections. Initially, it was also going to move the District Attorney’s Office there, but Supervisor Ron Knott (Stuyvesant) explained on March 18, there was public opposition to having prosecutors’ offices in such close proximity to defenders’ offices. In addition, the Board of Elections ended up requiring more room than expected. Now the plan is to move the District Attorney’s Office from 325 Columbia back to the Courthouse.
Recently, there has also been a proposal to open a Workforce Development office in 11 Warren, for people who could reach it more easily than the one in Columbia-Greene Community College.
