‘ON TIME AND ON BUDGET’
Hein, legislators trumpet construction of new Family Court in town of Ulster
Construction of the new Ulster County Family Court is “on time and on budget,” County Executive Michael Hein said Wednesday during a tour of the site.
The roughly 60,000-squarefoot new facility, at the county’s Development Court complex on Ulster Avenue, will have four courtrooms, as well as hearing rooms, conference rooms, waiting rooms, secure facilities for those being held in custody, and chambers and office space for the county’s three Family Court judges.
The new Family Court is expected to open Jan. 1, 2019.
Calling it a “significant upgrade over what currently exists,” Hein said the new facil-
“So far, I like what I see. Clearly a lot of thought went into this project.” — Legislator Hector Rodriguez, D-New Paltz
ity will allow the county to accommodate the influx of people expected in the court over the next two years due to the state’s “raise the age” legislation, which treats 16and 17-year-old suspects as juveniles rather than adults in the criminal justice system.
The new court’s location
near the county’s Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Social Services, and the Office for the Aging — all at Development Court — will mean Family Court and the services most used by people who come through the court will be in one place, providing for a better continuum of care, Hein said.
Legislator Herbert Litts, who is chairman of the Legislature’s Special Committee to Oversee the Family
Court Relocation, called the new court space “a wellthought-out facility.”
“I feel very confident this is going to be a successful project,” Litts, R-Lloyd, said after touring the facility. “What I’m seeing is good progress as far as the work is concerned . ... The workmanship, from what I saw ... it’s looking pretty good.
“When it’s done, I think its something we can all be proud of,” he added.
Legislature Minority
Leader Hector Rodriguez said he, too, was pleased with the progress being made.
“So far, I like what I see,” said Rodriguez, DNew Paltz. “Clearly a lot of thought went into this project.”
“It’s very well-constructed, very well thought out,” said Legislator Richard Gerentine, R-Marlborough. “I’m sure it’s going to be a very big asset to Ulster County when it’s done.”
Ulster County is moving its Family Court from leased space at 16 Lucas Ave. in the city of Kingston to the county-owned Business Resource Center at Development Court in the town of Ulster in response to increasing pressure from the state Office of Court Administration, which called the current facility “wholly inadequate.”
The chief justice of the Office of Court Administration, according to Hein, has
said the new Family Court is “the model that other counties will be judged by.”
Last October, Ulster County legislators approved the issuance of $7,963,910 in bonds for the creation of the new Family Court, along with $1.08 million in bonds for roof repairs at the Business Resource Center.
The total cost of the Family Court project now stands at $10.3 million, slightly less than the $10.8 million that originally was forecast.