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

Senator: This Move Will Be A Win-Win For The SSA, The Community And The People Of Ogdensburg Who Rely On Its Services


U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Federal Government to relocate the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office to downtown Ogdensburg when their current lease expires in midApril. Schumer pointed to two reasons that the move downtown will be beneficial to the community: first, due to the central location and proximity of many senior citizens, Social Security services will be much more accessible to the New Yorkers it serves; second the SSA, as a major main street tenant, will contribute directly to the vitality of the downtown Ogdensburg community.

This move will be a winwin for the SSA, the community and the people of Ogdensburg who rely on its services, Schumer said. The sooner SSA can come downtown, the sooner the SSA beneficiaries of Ogdensburg and the downtown community itself 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. Just steps from city hall, this building would provide a central location. All other government buildings are located in downtown Ogdensburg. In addition, two elevenstory seniors only apartment buildings are situated two blocks away from the facility. Moreover, there are no public transportation options to take residents to the SSA at its current location. By locating 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.

The lease for the current office, located at the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authoritys Commerce Park, is expiring on April 18. While is seems that GSA is asking for a 2 year extension on the current lease, the City engineers predict that it would take a mere four months to make the former post office ready for the SSA. A quick and easy transition would ensure no lost benefits or complications for those who rely on the SSA to survive. Schumer is asking the GSA not only move the SSA office downtown, but that they engage in a month to month lease, instead of making a two year commitment, with the Bridge and Port Authority.

In a personal letter to David L. Bibb, Acting Administrator of the General Service Administration (GSA), Schumer wrote, This plan is supported by the City Manager, who would in turn be 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. In addition, SSA will benefit from all of the local investment happening in downtown Ogdensburg, which includes plans for a $2 million waterfront. GSA is the federal agency in charge of renewing leases for federal agencies.