Tonight: Council Reviews Courthouse Project Ahead of Next Design Phase

The meeting is at 4:30 p.m. on the third floor of City Hall.

for details about some of the major decisions City Council still has to make about the project.

The courthouse project is at a critical 35-percent design phase. The plans include two new General District courtrooms and two new Circuit courtrooms. City Council already agreed to keep the new courts facility at three floors at a June 19 work session.  

Council members are looking for ways to cut costs because a majority wants to see a use for the historic Renwick Building, currently home to the Circuit Court, and to address the parking demands this project will have on downtown. City Manager Beverly Cameron said council members don't need to decide on these two matters at tonight's work session.

City Council is considering leaving one of the General District courtrooms as a shell to save money; Cameron said council members should make this decision at tonight's work session because of an Aug. 1 deadline to move ahead to the 65-percent plan stage.

As another way to save money, council members are also considering leaving the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the Executive Plaza instead of renovating the current General District Court for its use. The first floor of Executive Plaza was recently renovated for the J&DR Court; .

The city has issued $36.7 million in bonds for a new courthouse facility that includes the following:

• Design new court facilities
• Renovate Executive Plaza first floor for temporary occupancy by the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court
• Demolish the existing structures at the corner of Princess Anne and Charlotte streets
• Construct the new courthouse at corner of Princess Anne and Charlotte streets
• Move the Circuit Court out of Renwick and the General District Court to the new courthouse
• Renovate the General District Courthouse and move the J&DR Court to the renovated former General District Courthouse

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