Current Watch Site

The Orange County Government Center in Goshen, New York, was designed by architect Paul Rudolph and is considered one of his greatest achievements. Completed in 1970, the structure stands as a testament to the era of late modernism, when civic architecture was forging new avenues in design and construction. Its striking brutalist style exterior is characterized by massive, textured concrete blocks and large expanses of glass. The three-winged, three-storied building creates complex interiors that divide administrative, judicial, and other government functions. Natural light bathes the space through clerestory windows along 87 multi-level roofs.

Poor maintenance practices have led to deterioration, and county government has been calling for the building to be demolished and replaced. Exacerbating the issue, a hurricane in September 2011 flooded and damaged the structure, after which the center was closed by county officials, who renewed the proposal for demolition. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides assistance to local governments after disasters, has asked for further study of conditions to determine whether repair is feasible. The local community is also calling for more review, and grassroots activists have united in support of the Orange County Government Center. It is hoped that inclusion on the Watch will help save this notable piece of progressive architecture.

UPDATE

After the government center was closed, county government services were moved to other locations. Meanwhile, consultants were hired by the county administration to study the alternatives of rehabilitation versus demolition and construction of a new government center. The findings and cost estimates were presented to the public in January 2012, with country administrators promoting demolition. Local advocates hosted three public forums in Goshen, Newburgh, and Port Jervis in February and March as part of a campaign to save the building, and WMF collected 1,800 signatures from around the world in an online petition in favor of preservation. In a vote on May 3, the Orange County legislature voted in favor of demolition by a slim margin, though not with the two-thirds majority required to carry forward plans. Immediately after the vote, a press investigation revealed U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency findings disputing claims that the building is beyond repair, though this information was not available to Orange County legislators before the vote. Today, the future of the historic building remains unresolved. May 2012

Download a 2012 Watch poster of this site (see download instructions).

IN THE MEDIA

• Group declares Gov't Center endangered site
  Times Herald-Record, October 6, 2011
  
• The whole world is watching Goshen
  Times Herald-Record, October 7, 2011
  
• Orange County Government center now on World Monuments watch list
  The Chronicle, October 13, 2011
  
• Wrecking Ball, $67 Million Bill Hang Over Leaky Landmark
  Bloomberg, March 19, 2012
  
• Anti-demolition petition in Goshen
  Dwell Blogs, March 30, 2012
  
• Architecture’s Ugly Ducklings May Not Get Time to Be Swans
  New York Times, April 7, 2012