Rockland County Executive Presses Legislature To Facilitate Sale of ‘Six-Story Paperweight’
John Jordan | December 6, 2017
NEW CITY—Rockland County Executive Ed Day presided over the permanent closure of the six-story Sain office building here on Dec. 5th where he urged county lawmakers to facilitate the multi-million dollar sale of the property to make way for a senior assisted living facility.
Day announced that the last of the county departments operating at the building relocated to other space a few days earlier and that the county-owned building that features a swimming pool filled with cement is now permanently closed.
“Today we happily mark the end of an era in Rockland County government,” Day said as he stood on the steps of the 18 New Hempstead Road building. “The Sain Building is now officially closed. It is now a six-story paperweight.”
Massachusetts-based National Development Acquisition LLC hopes to acquire the Sain Building, demolish the structure and replace it with a two-story senior assisted living facility. The firm has reportedly offered to purchase the property for $4.51 million—$510,000 over the assessed value. The County Executive noted that the Town of Clarkstown has endorsed the sale of the building.
Day is urging the County Legislature to declare the property as surplus so that the sale can move forward. “Let’s get rid of an eyesore in the center of New City and add a ratable to the tax roll,” he said. “It’s time to embrace the future.”
Day said he plans to use a portion of the building sale proceeds toward settlements of expired county government employee union contracts.
The recently relocated employees joined the Department of Personnel, Consumer Protection, Economic Growth and Tourism and the Youth Bureau in newly renovated offices in Building A at the Dr. Robert Yeager Health Center complex in Pomona. Building A at the Health Center is becoming a health and human services hub in Rockland County.
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