An historic Steuben County courthouse in Corning sold at tax auction. Here's what we know

Jeff Smith, The Leader
·2 min read

The old Steuben County Courthouse building at 10 W. First St. in Corning, which later housed the Department of Motor Vehicles, was one of 98 properties sold Wednesday in the 2023 Steuben County Real Property Tax Auction.

Jack Wheeler, Steuben County Manager, said the county will not release the identity of who purchased the building until it receives a wire transfer payment, and the Steuben County Legislature approves the sale.

The property sold for $142,500 and the Legislature is expected to approve the sale at its July 24 meeting. The property is currently assessed at $200,000.

A look at the recently sold old Steuben County Courthouse building at 10 West First Street, Corning
A look at the recently sold old Steuben County Courthouse building at 10 West First Street, Corning

Wheeler said if the buyer doesn’t submit the funds, which he doesn’t expect, the ownership of the property would go to the second highest bidder.

The property generated 200 bids, primarily driven by two bidders going back and forth until the bidding settled at $142,500.

“We are very pleased with the sale price,” Wheeler said. “It was more than we expected, but I feel it shows a commitment by the owner to do something positive with the building.”

Wheeler said he currently has no idea of what the buyers' plans are for the historic building, which served as a Steuben County Courthouse since the early 1900s and then as a Department of Motor Vehicle office until about a year ago.

“The upper floor of the building still holds the old courtrooms, which closed when Steuben County consolidated all the courtrooms to Bath in the mid 1980s,” Wheeler said. “The upstairs courtrooms are still beautiful and in very good shape.”

The Steuben legislature built the Corning Courthouse in the early 1900s and was still the owner of the property at the time of the auction, Wheeler said.

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The Hornell Courthouse, the only other court building outside of Bath, also closed in the 1980s before hosting DMV offices. The Hornell Courthouse at 12 Allen St. received just one bid for $2,000 when it was sold in an auction by Steuben County in late 2018.

The building was rebranded as The Courthouse and a number of small businesses moved in over the next few years, ranging from a book bar to a fitness center, but the COVID-19 shutdown slowed the growth of the facility and it was placed back on the market.

Catholic Charities closed on the property for $220,000 in 2022 and now hosts a variety of services out of the building.

This article originally appeared on The Leader: Historic courthouse building sold in Steuben County tax auction