Community Meeting to Review Center of Government Design Options

Published on July 22, 2025

The Tompkins County Legislature invites the public to a community engagement meeting from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm on Monday, July 28, in the Legislature Chambers at 121 East Court Street in Ithaca, to share project status updates of the proposed Center of Government. The meeting will be live-streamed on YouTube and can be joined virtually via Zoom.

This second round of community feedback allows residents to evaluate and compare multiple design options that were created considering department needs, service delivery, and community input. Resident preferences will be captured for each presented option, and pros and cons will be documented to inform the final design. This follows the first round of in-person rural outreach in June in Groton, Enfield, Dryden, and Caroline, and a live-streamed meeting in Ithaca.

The project page tcgov.co/cog was created to provide transparency and timely updates to residents as this initiative progresses. It includes information about the project background, vision and goals, timeline, funding, and which departments are involved. Interested residents can check back for new information or sign up for the email newsletter to receive updates in their Inbox. Select 'Center of Government' under 'County Government Updates.' No account set up required.

The proposed project involves constructing a 48,000-square-foot Center of Government designed to centralize County services, enhance staff equity, improve operational efficiency, eliminate reliance on leased space, and support long-term sustainability. The project will involve the removal of three structures in the DeWitt Park Historic District (128 E. Buffalo St. and 300 and 308 N. Tioga St.). Community engagement meetings and community surveys give the public an opportunity to share input as provided under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.