Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County officials are debating the future of the former county jail site on Bridge Street in Catskill. The historic jail building was listed on state and national historic registries before the count demolished the building in November. At a recent meeting, County Administrator Shaun Groden presented a rendering of a two-story building, designed to house secure parking for the Office of Court Administration on the lower level and office space for the Public Defender’s Office on the second. The building would measure 14,000 square feet and have 23 parking spaces for court personnel. A pedestrian bridge would connect the building to the courthouse. The county paid more than $70,000 to salvage approximately 3,500 square feet of the Ohio sandstone facade from the old buildings and is looking to reuse the materials. “I think it looks really, really nice,” Cairo representative Harry Lennon said. “It fits in perfectly.” Catskill representative Matthew Luvera said, “I think it quells the rumors of leaving it as a parking lot and doing nothing. It shows that we have some foresight into the future.” The new space would be ideal for the Public Defender’s Office, Groden said, adding that the staff has doubled or possibly tripled within the last year. Groden did not release cost estimates for the building construction but noted the timing was financially favorable. In 2022, the county will see the retirement of approximately $2 million in debt and if certain conditions are met, the development would not result in a budget increase, he said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.