Shared Municipal Building (2007 LGAA)

Village of Adams (Winner)
County: Jefferson County
Population: Less than 5,000
Village Hall: (315) 232-2351

The Village and Town of Adams Shared Municipal Building was the outgrowth of a Joint Comprehensive Plan adopted by both entities in 2004 as part of a strategy to revitalize downtown and improve community facilities. In addition to addressing the need for space by both Village and Town of Adams officials, this single story 6,750 square foot municipal facility has generated savings for both municipalities through streamlined building operations, as well as shared overhead and maintenance. This new building has also encouraged more day to day communication between local officials. In addition, Village and Town residents can now easily access local officials, services and documents, while giving them another reason to visit downtown and patronize local businesses.

The project is the result of a combination of resources and collaborators at both the state and local level. The Joint Comprehensive Plan, which identified the site and recommended that a facility be built, was developed with the assistance of the NYS Tug Hill Commission and funded, in part, by a Small Cities grant. Built on a rehabilitated Brownfield, the area was cleaned up with the help of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, for which the Village of Adams received the Environmental Project of the Year Award from the New York State Chapter of the American Public Works Association. A Quality Communities grant funded streetscape designs, and construction of the facility was, in part, paid for with a $100,000 Shared Municipal Services Incentive (SMSI) grant secured from the state with the help of Senator James Wright and Assemblywoman Deirdre Scozzafava. Finally, the Village also worked with NYSERDA to obtain rebates for the use of energy efficient windows.

Officials in the Village and Town hope the continued success of their joint efforts will serve as a model to nearby communities.