Architect Jay Perantoni laid out a series of recommendations from a yearlong review freeholders hired his firm, SSP Architectural Group, to perform. Perantoni recommended a phased renovation of the building, which he said could be salvaged if work was done immediately.

Now, freeholders may jettison the idea of building a $12 million office building for County Prosecutor Ron Casella’s staff and instead renovate the Vine Street School, a dilapidated building within walking distance of the courthouse.

To finance the work, freeholders would use money the county already borrowed but initially planned for construction of a new building near the county administration complex on Route 49 near the Fairfield Township border.

See Tuesday's edition of The Press for more details.