Orange County Government Center
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| Orange County Government Center | |
 South view |
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| Building information | |
|---|---|
| Name | Orange County Government Center |
| Location | Goshen, NY |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 41°24′22″N 74°19′06″W / 41.40611°N 74.31833°W |
| Architect | Paul Rudolph |
| Client | Orange County |
| Completed | 1967 |
| Style | Brutalist |
The Orange County Government Center, located on Main Street (NY 207) in Goshen, New York, is as its name suggests the main office of the government of Orange County. It houses most county officials' offices and meetings of the county legislature. The records of Orange County Court and all deeds and mortgages filed in the county are kept there as well. An office of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is located on the first floor. Designed by noted architect and dean of the Yale School of Architecture Paul Rudolph in 1963 and built in 1967.
A courtyard divides the portion of the building hosting the executive and legislative branches from the half that hosted County Court until the late 1990s, when the state's Court Facilities Capital Review Board deemed the old courthouse unfit for use. A new addition was built to its north to house the courts and opened in the early 2000s, at considerable cost and frequent delay.
Its architecture has been subject to some criticism; "If I took a poll in town, it would be demolished tomorrow," County Executive Edward Diana has said.[1] The building has also not held up well in the long term. Many of its 87 roofs leak[1] and it has also become expensive to heat over the years.
So great are these problems, that when Diana considered demolishing it to build a new one in early 2004 the objections raised were purely financial. However, the costs of doing so are prohibitive enough that the idea has been dropped. At the same time it is uncertain whether it would be feasible to repair the building, and demolition is still the strongest possibility.[1]
There have been some architects who have urged the building's preservation, however, pointing to its historic value, Rudolph's stature as an architect, and the imaginative use of space within the building.
Some rooms are indeed worth seeing. The legislature's chambers feature dramatic lighting and terracing which give its proceedings a sense of importance. Also, the court records room on the south side — bright, open and airy and one of the few well-lit spaces inside — is a favorable contrast to its counterparts in neighboring counties.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Bernstein, Fred A.; March 23, 2007; "A Road Trip Back to The Future"; The New York Times; retrieved March 23, 2007,
[edit] External links
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