Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has submitted a resolution to purchase a new office building located on Joys Lane in Kingston to consolidate the various offices of the Ulster County District Attorney, the Family and Child Advocacy Center, and the Crime Victims program of the Probation Department at one centralized location. The Ulster County Legislature will vote on the purchase during their October session for $3.6 million and approximately $105,000 in closing costs. 

The property includes a 17,000-square foot office building, which previously served as the headquarters of the Kingstone Insurance Company, and is in close proximity to the Ulster County Courthouse — an important precondition for a property housing the District Attorney’s Office. The Office of the DA is currently spread across three locations, including the former Key Bank building next to the Courthouse, which is leased by the County, as well as offices at two other locations.

The building to be purchased was constructed in 1985 and has an on-site back-up power system and ample parking. The purchase would also include a duplex that is also owned by the current property owner just next door, and would serve as the new home of the Family and Child Advocacy Center (FCAC) and Crime Victims Unit. The FCAC is currently in leased space on Hurley Avenue in Kingston and the Crime Victims Unit is currently in a County-owned building on Pearl Street.

The new facility will enhance operations and improve efficiency in the DA’s Office and in its coordinated work with the FCAC and Crime Victims Unit.

The Family and Child Advocacy Center (FCAC), a joint initiative of Social Services and the District Attorney’s Office, seeks to employ the resources and experience of the Ulster County Department of Social Services, the New York State Police, the Ulster County Sheriff's Department, the Kingston Police Department, and the Ulster County District Attorney's Office to investigate incidents of child abuse, domestic violence, and assaults on the elderly. The FCAC, which will relocate to this facility, will benefit from a multidisciplinary team approach in a non-threatening, child-focused environment. 

The Crime Victims Unit of the Probation Department will also be relocated to this facility, ensuring that interactions with children, families, and crime victims take place in a setting that meets the highest standards for privacy, comfort, and support. This consolidation will enhance privacy for both staff and victims and improve coordination between units with related work areas.

“This new property is absolutely ideal for the District Attorney’s Office, and its co-location with the FCAC and Crime Victims Unit will enhance coordination and the critical support services these offices provide,” said County Executive Metzger. “The purchase of the property and consolidation of these offices at one location will also enable the County to eliminate leases for two other buildings, resulting in major savings to taxpayers over time.”

“The acquisition of the Joys Lane properties will enhance the efficiency of our District Attorney's Office and Victim Advocacy Center by bringing the entire team together at one location,” said Peter Criswell, Chair of the Ulster County Legislature. “This move will better support staff and strengthen the critical services they provide to our community.”

“After a long, often disappointing search, we have finally found a new location for the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. I believe it was worth the wait. Joys Lane could not be a better fit to house the hardworking people of the District Attorney’s Office, including the Family and Child Advocacy Center and the Crime Victims program of the Probation Department,” said Gina Hansut, Ulster County Legislator and Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee Chair. “The moment we walked in the door, it had the ‘feel’ and presented as a proper location that a District Attorney’s Office is deserving of. Accommodating everyone at the same location will be such an asset to the committed individuals that make up this office. The search has been a priority of our Legislature. We all look forward to the next few months as the move unfolds.” 

“The need for the District Attorney’s Office to be housed in a more conducive space for our dedicated staff, the public, and victims has been well-documented over the years, and I included my goal of housing ‘Under One Roof’ in my mission statement released in January 2024,” said Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji. “The Legislature and Executive visited our courthouse space to observe firsthand the seriousness of prioritizing our space needs. Since then, County Executive Jen Metzger and her staff, Law Enforcement Committee Chair Gina Hansut, and Legislature Chair Peter Criswell, have worked collaboratively to acquire space for us; they worked diligently and persistently to find such space and acted with alacrity when 15 Joys Lane became available. The purchase of this space represents Ulster County Government’s commitment to public safety, the men and women of the District Attorney’s Office, crime victims of all abilities and age, and appropriate working environment for the rigorous and challenging work we must do. On behalf of everyone in the DA’s Office, I express our gratitude to Executive Metzger and her staff, Chair Criswell, and Chair Hansut for the time, energy, and dedication to achieve this necessity.”

“The acquisition of this space is a positive step forward that will make it possible for the County to consolidate several key offices in one location facilitating both collaboration and the delivery of services among law enforcement, probation and social services,” said Michael Iapoce, Ulster County Department of Social Services Commissioner. “Specifically, the relocation of the multi-disciplinary team of DA and DSS Staff comprising the Ulster County Family and Children Advocacy Center (FCAC) to this space will ensure the continuation of our collective ability to deliver the unique and essential services that are provided to child victims of abuse and neglect and their non-offending caretakers by the FCAC."

“Ulster County Probation is looking forward to the anticipated co-location of the Ulster County Crime Victims Assistance Program, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, and the Family and Child Advocacy Center,” said Valerie Naccarato, Ulster County Probation Department Director. “We believe this move will lead to both increased collaboration and streamlined communication between departments, resulting in higher levels of collaborative support for survivors of crime in Ulster County.”