NEW PALTZ, N.Y.— Progress is continuing on a dynamic new emergency communications center in New York State that will aim to boost regional safety and crisis response.
The project began work in May, with Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, alongside elected officials, emergency personnel, and the project team of lead architect Urbahn Architects, construction manager The Palombo Group, consulting architect Alfandre Architecture and contractors celebrating the groundbreaking for the Ulster County Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in New Paltz. The state-of-the-art facility will strengthen coordinated emergency response capabilities and improve the climate resilience of the County’s emergency management system. Currently, the County’s Emergency-911 call center answers more than 130,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year.
“The new, 16,350-square-foot, one-story building will replace the existing facility, which is too small to efficiently handle the needs of the growing county of 183,000 residents,” explained Urbahn Architects Managing Principal Donald E. Henry Jr., AIA, LEED AP, CPHC.
Henry stated at the groundbreaking that the new complex will house a 3,500-square-foot 911 call center, referred to as the Public Service Answering Point (PSAP), a 3,600-square-foot emergency operations center (EOC), a 975-square-foot IT server room, and a 1,600-square-foot office for the Department of Emergency Services (DES). The 911 call center will accommodate up to 14 dispatchers with room for expansion and include a decompression room for staff after stressful calls.
The project’s budget is $34.5 million, including $21.8 million in construction costs. The Ulster County Legislature voted to bond $11,990,332 for the project. Earlier this year, Ulster County was awarded a $2 million NYSERDA grant to support the facility’s energy-conscious design, including super-insulated walls, geothermal heating and cooling, and rooftop solar with battery backup. The 2024 Executive Budget created an $18 million capital reserve for the ECC, saving taxpayers more than $1 million annually in borrowing costs.
The County purchased the 57.3-acre property in May 2024 for $2.8 million — $200,000 less than the 2022 agreed price. Metzger negotiated the reduction to account for environmental remediation costs, as the site is in the NYS Brownfield Program. A substantial portion of the property will also be dedicated to a ground-mounted solar array to power 100% of the facility and other County buildings.
In addition to Urbahn, Alfandre and The Palombo Group, the project team includes engineer GPI, telecommunications and IT designer Cerami Associates, general contractor Andron Construction, electrical contractor Perreca Electric, mechanical and plumbing contractor The YMI Group, and site contractor Merrit Construction. NYSTEC, a consulting firm, is also contributing. A Project Labor Agreement is in place with the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council and local unions.
The ECC will occupy approximately 6.5 acres of the site on Paradies Lane, near major thoroughfares including the NY Thruway, offering access for emergency assets and equipment. The site also provides reliable electrical and telecommunication connections. Work will include access roads, a 71-space asphalt parking lot, and landscaping.
“Ulster County’s leadership directed the designers to focus on resiliency, redundancy, efficiency, and longevity of the new facility,” said Urbahn Architects Associate Principal Christopher Young, AIA. He added that the facility will be constructed on a five-inch slab-on-grade concrete foundation with a gray standing-seam metal roof. The perimeter walls will feature an insulated concrete form (ICF) system, providing continuous insulation and soundproofing.
The exterior facade will feature a gray palette with ash wood accents, stucco finish, Longport metal paneling, and a ground face block section for durability. Ballistic resistant windows and entrances will protect operations from hurricanes and other incidents. Clerestory windows will bring natural light into the EOC and PSAP areas.
The project team is using advanced BIM software by Revit to plan construction. According to Chesser, “It is particularly useful in planning construction and routing of piping, ductwork, electrical conduits and other elements of the building’s infrastructure, which requires coordinating work of multiple specialty subcontractors.”
The building’s electrical system is designed to connect to a large-scale photovoltaic array planned for the site, which would bring the complex beyond net-zero emissions. The team collaborated with Xybix Systems to plan installation of specially designed 911 dispatch workstations and wiring.
The building will be rectangular, with a central reception area and corridors leading to its four sections. The main entrance will face the south side of the parking lot and include a storefront system, security vestibules, and reception. Additional features include an employee kitchen, entry, and restrooms.
Interior finishes will include porcelain tile flooring at the entrance and bathrooms, carpeting throughout most of the building, and specialized flooring in the data center and utility areas. The server room, EOC, and PSAP will feature a sunken floor system for cabling and air circulation. The mechanical room floor will sit five feet below the rest of the building to accommodate redundant energy recovery ventilator equipment. Ceilings will include suspended acoustic tiles, drywall sections, and gypsum substrate with acoustic backing panels for sound control.
