Woodbury wins $4 million state aid for new town hall

Woodbury finally has a funded path to a town hall of its own, with $4 million in state-backed aid set to help the town buy and renovate the former education center at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Highland Mills. The plan would turn the building behind the church into a municipal headquarters and community facility, while ending the town’s annual lease bill for its current office space.

The project calls for Woodbury to pay $1.9 million for the property, with the rest of the state money going toward renovations. State Sen. James Skoufis said the financing would allow the project to move forward without cost to town or village taxpayers, and Town Supervisor Jaqueline Hernandez said the new site would bring town services together in one place. Woodbury currently spends about $78,000 a year leasing its municipal building at 615 Route 32 in Highland Mills.

The deal also gives the town a long-term public asset instead of a short-term lease. The building’s gymnasium would be retained for community events, extending its use beyond offices and public counters. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

For Woodbury, the move carries added weight because the town has been operating for years without a permanent municipal home of its own. The town, which was officially created on Dec. 19, 1889, is made up of Central Valley, Highland Mills and the area formerly known as Woodbury Falls. Its official website identifies Woodbury Common Premium Outlet Center as the town’s largest employer and tourist attraction, underscoring how much local land use and public facilities matter in the community.

The state money is the latest step in a project that has been developing for at least a year. In July 2025, the Town Board agreed to have an appraisal prepared for St. Patrick’s Church because officials were interested in making it a municipal building. By March 2026, Skoufis had already included $1.3 million in the Senate’s budget proposal for the purchase and renovation of the former education center and gymnasium, and town board minutes from March 30 show a staff update that the money had been put in the budget.

St. Patrick’s itself carries its own local history. The Catholic Archdiocese of New York closed the church in 2023 during its merger with Sacred Heart Parish in Monroe, but the church remains active. A state Senate writeup said the public purchase would help preserve the property from development and keep a familiar community structure in use.

The timing also fits a broader shift in how Woodbury’s government is operating. The town held its first joint town-village hall meeting on March 30, 2026, as officials examined future projects and shared issues. With the Village of Woodbury at 455 Route 32 and the town hall nearby on the same road, the new building would put more of Woodbury’s public business under one roof and give taxpayers a permanent municipal base instead of a leased one.