TROY – The Italian Community Center’s Fifth Avenue building that once was a candidate to be City Hall will become the new site of Rensselaer County’s Troy Area Senior Services Center.

County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino announced the county will buy the building with its ample onsite 108-spot parking lot at 1450 Fifth Avenue for $685,000 and relocate the senior center from its downtown location in the former Masonic Temple at 19 Third St.

“This is an excellent opportunity to move our senior services programming to a more suitable and efficient location that addresses our significant need for off-street parking for those seniors seeking the services we provide,” Jimino said.

The three-story Third Street building has the services center operation scattered throughout three floors reached by steep staircases and an elevator, making it hard for seniors to easily access activities.

“Additionally, the layout of the ICC will allow for the majority of our programming to be provided on the first floor,” the county executive said.

Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello proposed Monday that the county consider sharing the ICC building with the city. Mantello said she would like to see City Hall operations relocated there from the fifth floor of the Hedley Building at 433 River St. The city pays $330,000 to rent the space for City Hall, which has 75 employees. Mantello addressed her request to Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin, the county executive-elect.

“I don’t believe there’s room for both in the building,” Jimino said, adding that the senior center would take up nearly all the space.

The relocation to the ICC site, Jimino said, should help attract more senior citizens to the center. As downtown Troy has seen more people living and working around the current senior center, the county has seen participation in its programs drop because of difficulties in finding parking.

The purchase of the ICC is to go before the County Legislature for approval. At the same time, the county legislators will be asked to approve the sale of the present center at 19 Third St. for $575,000 to developer David Bryce. New office space is expected to be created when Bryce takes over the property.

Jimino said the county will transfer all of its current senior programs to the new location. She said the county also intends to work with the ICC organization to continue bocci leagues at the Fifth Avenue location. The county also would like to maintain the weekly soup kitchen that began at St. Mary’s Church on Third Street, then relocated to ICC when the church closed.

The county expects to complete the purchase of the ICC building in early 2018.