Howe Promises To Halt Courthouse Design

Fredericksburg Ward 3 Councilman Fred Howe said if he is elected mayor he will halt the design of the $38 million courthouse to push for major changes to its cost and scope.

Howe also released details about what he prefers for the courts project during a town hall meeting Thursday night at the downtown Marriott hotel, where about double the number of people—about 70—. Howe was accompanied by some heavy hitters in the Republican Party, including U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman and newly elected Del. Mark Dudenhefer. Also in attendance were Circuit Court Clerk Jeff Small, Commonwealth's Attorney LaBravia Jenkins, City Sheriff Paul Higgs, Doris Buffett and Councilman Brad Ellis, who introduced Howe.

Howe said that originally City Council was only considering making security improvements to the courts and there was never a mandate to build a new courthouse facility.

As an alternative design plan, Howe said he would take $10 million of the $35 million in bonds for the courthouse project and use it to renovate Renwick Hall, where the current circuit courthouse is now, and to renovate the old jail. A sky bridge would connect the two buildings for security, he said. The old jail is a yellow building behind the circuit courthouse on Princess Anne Street.

"Which courts system goes in there is really immaterial at this point, but it must be a secure courthouse and it must be an operational courthouse and it must carry us forward," he said.

Howe said the $1 million that's already planned to be spent on renovating the first floor of Executive Plaza for the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court should not be a temporary move. The city has planned to tear down Executive Plaza, known as the "Big Ugly," and Howe said this $1 million would be wasted if that happens.

"My proposal would be to leave them there," he said about the JD&R Court in the Executive Plaza. "That money is well spent."

Howe said he would support a scaled down General District Court facility. Under the current plan, the General District Court would become the future home for the JD&R Court and the circuit and general district courts would be part of a new 78,000-square-foot facility. With his idea, either the circuit or general district court would be in Renwick and a new, much smaller facility could be built for the other. But this new building doesn't have to be in the heart of downtown, either, Howe said. Instead, any new courts facility could be built near any of the city's entranceway corridors that he said need revitalization.

"That would allow us to expand and move the city going forward," Howe said. 

The General District Court facilities that are used today could then be used as office space and leased to attorneys.

"I hope they take me up on it because they say they want to be downtown," Howe said about the attorneys. "So, I want to give them a building that is going to provide the city with some rental income. It also allows the sheriff to keep his firing range that he badly needs"

Howe, who has campaigned on a platform of being a candidate who supports full disclosure and transparency in government, asked the people in attendance to speak out about what they think is the best way to move forward.

"And the reason I say that is we have two major gateways to our historic downtown and they require improvements," Howe said about moving the new courts facility to one of these gateways. "I don't know how many more tattoo parlors we can take. I think we have the maximum number, I hope. I am praying we have the maximum number at this point. We have two corridors that badly need renovation and in order to do that we need to possibly be able to bring the court systems into one of those corridors to revitalize. That should be a taxpayer decision." 

In response to a question, Howe promised to push for design changes to the courthouse project. Howe was one of three council members who voted against the courts project. One of his two opponents, Mary Katherine Greenlaw, voted for the courts project.

"I promise you, we will bring the design to a halt," Howe said.

The city elections are May 1. Howe faces Mary Katherine Greenlaw and Matt Paxson for city mayor.

What do you think of Fred Howe's courthouse design vision? Say so in the comments.