County hires firm to help prepare for roof upgrade at Public Safety Building

Photo by Tom Rivers: Orleans County is looking to strengthen the roof at the Public Safety Building, a former furniture store building that county bought in 1998.

ALBION – Orleans County legislators are looking to upgrade the roof at the Public Safety Building on Route 31 near Gaines Basin Road.

Legislators on Tuesday approved a contract for up to $47,700 with Wendel Companies of Williamsville for professional services for the design, bidding and construction support services for the project.

The roof reinforcement project will likely include strengthening the joists and other work on a large flat roof.

The county acquired the building in 1998. The former Marquart Furniture building allowed the county to move in dispatch, the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, Probation and the Major Felony Crime Task Force.

But the building is cramped, county officials said. The Legislature on Oct. 24 approved spending $975,000 for the former GCC building at 456 West Ave. The county paid Herring Enterprises of Holley for the building, which hasn’t been used for classes for several years.

The county will move the Probation Department and District Attorney’s office out of the Public Safety Building and into the former GCC site. Once Probation and the DA’s Office move to the site, the Public Safety Building will be reconfigured for the Sheriff’s Office to allow for a more efficient operation, said Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer.