Cayuga County lawmakers are preparing to lease space in the former Citizen building on Dill Street Commons in Auburn to house a new Department of Motor Vehicles location, officials said. The move would give the DMV a more suitable public‑facing location after being displaced nearly two years ago.
The Legislature will consider a resolution Tuesday evening authorizing a five‑year lease for about 2,000 square feet at 25 Dill St., formerly home to The Citizen newspaper before it was sold to a Syracuse-based developer in July 2025. The lease agreement calls for no base rent during the first six months, with an annual cost of $17,950 in the first year and incremental increases in each subsequent year.
The DMV has been operating out of the Cayuga County Public Safety Building in Sennett since the Cayuga County Office Building closed in May 2024 due to hazardous conditions, including vermiculite contamination and structural issues that continue to limit its use.
County officials say the public safety building “does not presently meet all the needs of a fully operational DMV,” prompting the search for a more accessible location. Officials from the DMV toured the Dill Street Commons space and recommended it as suitable for the department’s needs, according to the legislative resolution.
If approved, the lease would begin no earlier than May 1, when the DMV could begin relocating operations to the new site. Dill Street Commons is set to house a mix of office and retail tenants, including restaurants and other businesses, as part of its redevelopment.
The Cayuga County Legislature will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural and Country Living Museum in Owasco.
