Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the bids to demolish the former Greene County Jail have come in at about half of the anticipated cost, Legislature Chairman Patrick Linger said. The county request for bids was released July 8, and the specs included asbestos abatement, demolition and courthouse protection, as well as an alternative for the removal of the historic Ohio sandstone on the exterior of the building. Twelve bids were received, Linger said August 15. Lawmakers will determine who will be awarded the contract at a special meeting of the legislature's Public Safety Committee on August 17. “We got a lot more than we thought we were going to get,” Linger said, referring to the bids. “The more bidders you get, the better pricing you get.” The county Legislature budgeted $800,000 for the demolition. The bids submitted are still under review by county officials and the project engineers to determine the lowest bidder and to ensure that the contractor’s plans meet all of the bid specs, Linger said. Built in 1908, the county jail and sheriff’s office on Bridge Street in the village of Catskill are listed on both the state and national historic registries. The county courthouse was also built in 1908, using the same unique Ohio sandstone, according to a report by the Dutch American Architectural Group. An evaluation by the group, in collaboration with Historic Catskill suggests the Bridge Street jail may be the last of its kind. The state Historic Preservation Office recommended the county explore alternatives to tearing down the structure, but the county rejected the options arguing they were cost prohibitive. The historic carriage house on the property will not be destroyed. Demolition is expected to begin this fall and be completed by December, Linger said. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.