County hires firm for design, construction services for Public Safety Building roof project

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 February 2025 at 8:40 am

Wendel to be paid up to $427K; new roof and supports could top $1 million

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County Public Safety Building, which opened in 1998 at a former furniture store building, needs roof repairs and other upgrades.

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature is pushing to fix the roof and make other upgrades to the Public Safety Building on Route 31.

The building has a sizable flat roof. The roof on the western side of the building needs to be replaced and that part of the building needs more structural support for HVAC.

The county last summer moved the Probation Department out of the building to the former GCC campus in Albion due to concerns with part of the Public Safety Building.

The Legislature on Thursday voted to pay Wendel Companies in Williamsville up to $427,000 for design, bidding services and construction management for replacing and strengthening the roof. The construction project could top $1 million, county officials said.

The county bought the building, a former furniture store, in 1998. It is used by the Sheriff’s Office, 911 Dispatch Center, the Major Felony Crime Task Force and District Attorney’s Office. Probation is expected to stay at the former GCC site with the Sheriff’s Office getting the Probation Department’s space once the project is complete.

The Legislature on Oct. 24, 2023 approved spending $975,000 to buy the former GCC building at 456 West Ave. The county paid Herring Enterprises of Holley for the building, which hadn’t been used for classes for several years.