Tompkins County’s proposed $50 million Center of Government project has been redesigned again just months before bidding is set to begin, according to The Ithaca Voice. The latest plan reduces the building’s size and cuts the number of county departments it will house from 13 to 10.
The revised design sparked fresh debate among legislators over parking, accessibility, department locations and the building’s appearance. Architects warned that major changes at this stage could delay the project and add roughly $200,000 per month in construction costs.
County leaders still hope to seek bids this fall for the long-planned downtown Ithaca project. Architects say the redesigned building remains fully electric and preserves the county’s sustainability goals despite the smaller footprint.
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