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If everything goes as planned, the move to a new location in Jamestown for the county Department of Motor Vehicles will happen in August.
The County Legislature in April approved a lease agreement at 512 W. Third St. Larry Barmore, county clerk, said the lease was signed by the county and forwarded to the landlord, Jamestown’s Rental Properties, for signing. The DMV is currently located in the South County Office Building at 110 E. Fourth St.
“We’re officially going to take over the building July 15,” Barmore said. “We’re going to move in Aug. 1, if everything goes as planned.”
Work to construct the DMV’s layout is underway with new counters and rooms, Barmore said. A phone company is preparing to install a phone system and data ports.
Barmore said the new location benefits everybody as the site provides dedicated and free adjacent parking.
“It’s in a more convenient location,” Barmore said. “It should be easier for customers to get in and out. Where we are at now, we don’t have dedicated parking. We’re fighting with local restaurants and other establishments for the available parking.”
Sidewalks near the new location are heated, but Barmore said the heating elements underneath broke. Plans are in order to replace broken equipment before opening.
Barmore said the layout at the new site is more conducive to proper business, and traffic flow will move much smoother.
“The way our DMV is laid out now where we’re at, people have to stop when you first walk in the door,” he said. “When we’re busy, you have to walk through the line to go in, and you have to go through the line to get out.”
The DMV’s new location provides approximately 3,085 square-feet of office space. The cost for the DMV would decrease for the duration of the lease over the current rental paid at the South County building. Rent at the new location is $12 per-square-foot for the first year with a 4 percent increase every year after.