Construction of "Green" Municipal Building (2009 LGAA)
Village of Amityville (Winner)
County: Suffolk County
Population: 5,000 to 10,000
Village Hall: (631) 264-6000.
Faced with departments outgrowing office space along with the need for major upgrades to the current Village office building, Village of Amityville officials decided to consolidate all municipal departments into one newly constructed "green" building.
The result was a 15,000 square foot building that houses the Village's police department, justice court and administration offices. This "green" building meets standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, and is hoping to receive "Gold" certification. The structure is designed to reduce energy consumption, minimize environmental impacts and increase the comfort, health and safety of the occupants. The Village was awarded the Long Island Business News 2009 Real Estate Award, Top Green Project.
Generations of Amityville residents will benefit from this state-of-the-art building because it was built with both today and tomorrow in mind. Since it uses 40% to 50% less energy than a conventional building, the Village will realize considerable savings over time, which will reduce the property tax burden on Village residents. Because all departments are now located under one roof, the building also allows for increased service efficiencies, the sharing of multi-purpose areas and easier accessibility for Village taxpayers. Equally important is the building's location and façade. It is situated in the heart of the Village's downtown and maintains the Village's traditional landscape of Victorian homes, a picturesque downtown and beautiful waterfront, not to mention many lovely parks.
With the construction of this municipal building, Village officials have tried to lead by example and hope that the project will help to attract more "green-minded" businesses to their community.