“Closing this building would do an immense disservice to hundreds of thousands of people in the Utica-Rome region. They deserve straightforward answers about whether a closure is being considered and what that would mean for them. I would like to thank the Oneida County Bar Association for bringing this to my office’s attention this week,” said Congressman Williams
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) sent a letter to the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Robert J. Conrad, Jr., concerning the potential closure of the Federal Courthouse in Utica, New York, the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building.
“Closing this building would do an immense disservice to hundreds of thousands of people in the Utica-Rome region. They deserve straightforward answers about whether a closure is being considered and what that would mean for them. I would like to thank the Oneida County Bar Association for bringing this to my office’s attention this week,”said Congressman Williams.
“This is a major concern as court dates nationally are backlogged, and relocating the Pirnie Courthouse would only exacerbate this issue. While the relocation of Judges to Syracuse and Albany may provide some benefit to the government financially, the potential shutdown would cause significant issues to the detriment of Central New York residents. This courthouse plays a significant role in creating jobs in the Utica-Rome region and providing public services to nearly 375,000 people,”the letter reads.
Built 95 years ago, the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building, which houses the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service, and Social Security Administration, has been used by residents of Oneida, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, and Lewis counties.
