New Courthouse Proposals Unveiled Tonight

After numerous fits and starts, the public will get its first glimpse at proposals for a new Fredericksburg court facility tonight. It's the first of two consecutive nights of public meetings which will see five design-build teams present their vision for a 21st century courthouse to the City Council. 

What to expect from the proposals is anyone's guess, save for a select few city staff and the designers themselves. According statements made by City Manager Beverly Cameron at last week's City Council work session, some of the five design-build teams will be presenting multiple design concepts spread across many different downtown locations. 

In all, the council has seriously studied eight different locations for a new court facility over the years. Since 2007, locations along Princess Anne Street, including the sites of the Fredericksburg Post Office and Fire Station 1, have been considered in discussions about new court facilities. 

Further delays may not sit will with local court officials. In a special council work session held at the courthouse on Jan. 11, Circuit Court Judge Gordon Willis said that upgrades to the city's court facilities have been debated for too long. 

"It's time to simply move forward," said Willis at the meeting. 

Last week, the City Council debated hearing the proposals behind closed doors to prevent premature disclosure of information which could give an unfair advantage to the design build teams presenting on the second evening of meetings. Councilors Brad Ellis and Fred Howe had proposed the idea based on their experiences in the world of contracting, but were met with pushback by the other members of the council The idea was abandoned at the urging of City Attorney Kathleen Dooley.

The meetings will take place tonight and tomorrow night, March 15 and 16 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. This is not a public hearing, however. Members of the general public will not be permitted to address the council or ask questions of the design-build teams. By March 22, the City Council will pare the list down to a short list two or three proposals. Those teams will be asked to submit more detailed proposals for consideration. If all goes according to the timetable laid out in the PPEA application documents, by July the City Council could award a comprehensive agreement to develop one of the proposals.