LOUDONVILLE — Village Council returned to the drawing board Monday as members reevaluated plans for a new village office building.
Plans for new village offices are still in early stages after architectural estimates topped $4 million. Council members are exploring more affordable options before moving forward.
Architectural plans for a new municipal building came back with what Mayor Cathy Lance described as “sticker shock.”
“The sticker shock number is over $4 million,” Lance said Monday.
The estimate has led the village to discuss alternatives, including working with local builders to reduce construction costs or renovating an existing building instead of constructing a new facility.
Resident Brian Koch urged council to prioritize local builders if the project moves forward.
“There are businesses in this town who are builders and I think that supporting them as they supported our community is highly important,” Koch said.
Koch also encouraged the village to involve the Architectural Review Board in the planning process, even though the proposed office site is about a half-block outside the village’s architectural zone.
Lance said another meeting is scheduled for next week to discuss the project and emphasized plans remain preliminary.
“We did get architectural plans back and there was sticker shock with those,” Lance said.
She said two local builders have already been discussing ways to make the project more affordable. Another option under consideration is renovating an existing property using ideas from the architectural plans.
“There’s a lot of gray area right now, so there’s not a lot to share right now,” Lance said.
The village intends to construct a building that complements Loudonville’s historic downtown, the mayor said.
“We want to blend in with the town, not look too modern or outrageous that it just doesn’t fit in with our historic downtown,” Lance said.
Council is also considering the former McMullen Assisted Care facility as a possible location for village offices.
When asked about the building, Lance confirmed it is among several options being considered.
Representatives of McMullen Assisted Care would like a local entity to take over the building and continue using it in a way that benefits the community, she said.
“There is more information coming on how we’re going to move forward,” Lance said. “It’s just taking time because there is a lot of money involved and we want to be smart.”
No formal decisions have been made on the project. Councilmembers said additional information will be shared as planning continues.
