Rockland County officials are in preliminary discussions with Orange & Rockland Utilities Inc. about the possible sale of land at Rockland Community College for a new utility substation. County officials said the talks are still in the early stages, with no firm agreements yet on location, price, or project scope. The only concrete step so far is a signed listing agreement between County Executive Ed Day and Rand Commercial, authorizing the brokerage, led by former Rockland Democratic Party chair Paul Adler, to represent the county in any potential transaction.
The agreement, signed on August 5, set an estimated asking price of $10 million, with Rand Commercial to receive a 5% brokerage fee paid by O&R. County officials described the figure as only an estimate, noting that no formal offer has been made and many details remain unsettled.
Any sale of county-owned property would require approval from the Rockland County Legislature, the RCC Board of Trustees, and New York State. Before any transaction could move forward, the land would have to be declared surplus and subjected to a public review process. Officials emphasized that the college would play a central role in any decision, since the property belongs to the county as financial sponsor of the campus.
Although a specific site has not been finalized, officials indicated that O&R has looked at a wooded area behind the campus parking lot and baseball field near Spook Rock Road and Viola Road. County representatives stressed that it is too early to discuss specifics, given the regulatory steps and approvals required. O&R, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, has acknowledged the discussions but described them as only preliminary.
County Executive Ed Day, responding to public concern, urged residents not to jump to conclusions. “Orange and Rockland Utilities approached the County of Rockland through Rand Realty about the potential of locating a substation on a small unused portion of this site,” Day said. “The County is conducting thorough due diligence about the potential before any decisions are made. The estimated sale price on the contract is just that, an estimate. It is premature to discuss the specifics of this potential deal as there is no agreed upon offer, sale price, or specific acreage identified. Additionally, this type of transaction would have intricate requirements and need the expertise of an experienced and knowledgeable local commercial broker. In no way is there any contemplation of compromising the college in any fashion.”
RCC officials have not publicly commented on the matter. The college, which has faced financial challenges in recent years, could potentially benefit from the revenue generated by a sale. Rockland Legislature Chair Jay Hood said lawmakers would review and hold hearings on any proposal once it is formally presented.
For now, the plan remains only a concept, with multiple layers of approval and due diligence still ahead before any decision is made.