Schumer Urges Feds to Relocate Social Security Administration Office to Downtown Ogdensburg

Schumer Urges Feds To Relocate Social Security Administration Office To Downtown Ogdensburg

Newly Hired Branch Manager Can Relocate Offices Downtown When Current Lease Expires In January - Local Officials And Residents Support Move

Last March, Senator Called On GSA To Move Operations - They Agreed To Temporary 9 Month Lease Extension At Current Property While Considering New Facility

Schumer: This Would Be A Shot In The Arm For Downtown's Revitalization And Make Cri

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Federal Government to relocate the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office to downtown Ogdensburg when their lease extension expires in January. A new regional branch manager for real estate services at the General Services Administration (GSA) was hired last month, and can recommend that the SSA offices be moved downtown. Schumer explained that the move downtown would be beneficial to the entire community as part of downtown's waterfront development and its central location and proximity of many senior citizens, making critical Social Security services more accessible. In addition, Schumer said the SSA, as a major main street tenant, will contribute directly to the vitality of the downtown Ogdensburg community. Last March, Schumer called on the GSA to either move their offices downtown, or sign a temporary lease that would enable them to move, and GSA agreed to sign only a 9 month lease.

"With a new manager in charge, it's time to move the Social Security offices downtown," said Schumer. "This move would be a shot in the arm for downtown's revitalization and is essential for the community and the people of Ogdensburg who rely on its Social Security services. The new downtown site will be ready to go when the lease expires, and local officials are already working together to find another company to move into the Commerce Park location. The sooner SSA can come downtown, the sooner those on Social Security and the downtown community can start to benefit from its new proximity."

Downtown Ogdensburg is a growing area ready for new businesses to move in. The City of Ogdensburg has identified space at the old post office building for the Social Security offices. Just steps from city hall, this building would provide a central location, near all of the other government buildings located in downtown Ogdensburg. There are also two eleven-story senior's only apartment buildings are situated two blocks away from the facility. Most importantly, there are no public transportation options to take residents to the Social Security offices at their current location. By moving the office downtown close to a bus line, the social security beneficiaries who rely on public transportation will have much greater access to SSA services. Local officials hope moving SSA will become part of the local investment happening in downtown Ogdensburg, which includes plans for a $2 million waterfront.

The lease at SSA's current office, located at the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority's Commerce Park, expired on April 18, but was extended by nine months, with a month to-month option following that, at the request of the GSA. The Ogdensburg engineers predict that it would take a mere four months to make the former post office ready for the SSA, making this a quick and easy transition that would ensure no lost benefits or complications for those who rely on Social Security.

In a personal letter to Richard Fazzulo, the new Regional Branch Manager for Real Estate Services at the GSA, Schumer wrote, "This plan is supported by William Nelson, the mayor of Ogdensburg, and Martin Murphy, the city's Director of Planning. In turn they are committed to helping the Bridge and Port Authority find another industrial company to move into Commerce Park, which is already nearing capacity. This would allow an employer more suited to the amenities of Commerce Park to move into the area… Therefore, I ask that you begin preparations to move the SSA operation to downtown Ogdensburg as soon as possible so that no time is spent at Commerce Park after the nine month extension."

In March 2006, Schumer wrote to the previous GSA Administrator, David L. Bibb, calling on him to agree to relocate to the downtown site and to change the terms of the lease extension. The GSA granted the latter request by extending the lease by only nine months and then engaging in a month to month lease thereafter, instead of making a two year commitment with the Bridge and Port Authority. GSA is the federal agency in charge of renewing leases for federal agencies.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=263234&&year=2006&