County buys Bank of America site for $250K with plans to become treasurer’s office

Photos by Tom Rivers: The former Bank of America site at 156 S. Main St. is now owned by Orleans County and will become the treasurer’s office in 2024.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature on Tuesday approved spending $250,000 to buy the former Bank of America building at 156 South Main St.

The site has been vacant since the bank closed on Aug. 15, 2017. County officials are planning to make the building the home for the treasurer’s office.

“With the drive-through, it will be very helpful for the elderly,” said Kim DeFrank, the county treasurer.

The current treasurer’s office is in Central Hall at 34 East Park St. DeFrank said the building can be difficult for the public to use. Parking is in back of the building, and the handicapped accessibility ramp is on the back side of the building.

Central Hall was built in 1882 and was a school until 1934. It was the home to the Sheret Post #35 American Legion from 1935 until the county acquired it in 1980. The site has been used for the treasurer’s office, probation, computer services and historian. Currently, only the treasurer’s officer and historian’s office are using the building.

The red-brick building needs repointing and estimates have topped $100,000, DeFrank said.

The treasurer’s office is seeing more demand from the public. This September and October it is collecting the school taxes for the Albion school district for the first time. It also collects for Lyndonville and Medina.

The Bank of America’s south side is shown today (facing the plaza that includes Subway and several other businesses and organizations).

DeFrank is hopeful the treasurer’s office can be moved to the bank site by this time next year.

She said the site needs some paint, new carpets and a build out of offices. The driveway should also be redone.

The treasurer’s office received new furniture late last year, and DeFrank said the furnishings and equipment can be moved to the former bank site.

The county bought the bank building from 156 South Albion LLC, which is based at 56 Exchange St. in Rochester.

DeFrank said she expects the treasurer’s office will be put up for sale after the office shifts to the former bank.