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State's Public Works department approves courthouse parcel financing |
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Thursday, 13 March 2008 |
Site Acquisition Phase complete; process now enters design phase
By Stacey Powells
Mammoth Times Staff Writer
The California State Public Works Board recently approved financing for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to acquire the parcel located on the corner of Sierra Park Road and Hwy 203 for construction of a new courthouse for use by the Superior Court of California, County of Mono. “This is a very complicated process,” said AOC Communications Specialist Jonathan Streeter. “Courthouse construction is not funded in one big chunk. We have to go to the state legislature every time we enter a new phase.”
According to Streeter, Site Acquisition is the first phase. Once the state legislature approved the Site Acquisition Phase, the AOC had to secure approval from Public Works to actually use the money.
The new Superior Courthouse will cost approximately $15 million to build. “We can only go and ask for the money depending on what phase we are in. Now we are asking for the preliminary design process money,” Streeter said.
Building a courthouse consists of four basic phases. Following the Site Acquisition Phase, the design process has two phases: preliminary design process and working drawing process. The final phase is construction.
Initial plans for the project call for a new two-courtroom, 20,000 square-foot facility. The new courthouse will replace the currently leased two-courtroom South County Branch Courthouse in Mammoth Lakes, which has been deemed inadequate for current community needs. The new courthouse will provide improved space for current services, new judicial services, and improved security and access for court services.
Specifically, the courthouse design will include:
—two multi-purpose, jury-capable courtrooms to be used primarily for traffic, family, civil and probate court services, and occasionally for criminal and juvenile proceedings;
—a jury deliberation room, judicial chambers, work areas for sheriff/justice partners, work areas for staff workers, an entry vestibule with security screening, a lobby and children’s waiting area, public restrooms and building support areas;
—parking for approximately 40 courthouse visitors.
Judicial leaders, court personnel, AOC staff, Mono County and Town of Mammoth Lakes representatives have all participated in development of the project thus far. This project is funded by the state's Court Facilities Construction Fund.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 21 March 2008 )
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