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Courts coming back to council's plate Date published: 7/30/2010
BY EMILY BATTLE and KELLY HANNON
Less than a month after being sworn in as Fredericksburg's Ward 3 City Councilman, Fred Howe III is asking his colleagues to look at an alternative court-building plan he believes could save time and money. While the council as a group has agreed to hear Howe out on his proposal, it's unclear what the appetite for a possible change in direction will be, more than three years after council members got their first public look at options for modernizing city courts. The most recent plan the council has committed to involves replacing the downtown fire station with a new one on land the city would have to buy, then tearing down the old fire station and constructing a new courts building on its Princess Anne Street site. That building would connect to a renovated General District Court building, which would house more courts space. Howe has been working with local architect Raymond Herlong on an alternative plan since before he began his term July 1. He believes the current $40 million plan is too expensive, and he wants the council to look more closely at his and Herlong's concept. Their concept would keep the city's fire station at its location at Princess Anne and Wolfe streets, eliminating the need to buy land and build a new station. Howe claims by eliminating this step, a new court complex could be finished two years sooner than the current proposal suggests. Under Howe's concept, a new courts building would be erected in the empty space between the city parking deck on Sophia Street and the Executive Plaza office building on Caroline Street. It would be a five-story building but would match the Plaza's 97-foot height, allowing for higher ceilings for courtrooms. Howe proposes gutting and upgrading the Executive Plaza's interior and refurbishing the facade to help it shed its "Big Ugly" moniker. Courtrooms for the Circuit and Juvenile & Domestic Relations courts would be located on the upper floors of the new building. A secure entrance to the courthouse for judges, and a separate entrance for prisoners, could be built on the ground level of the current parking deck, taking up 18 existing spaces. Offices for Circuit and Juvenile & Domestic Relations court clerks and staff would be located in the revamped Executive Plaza.
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 7/30/2010
has uncovered a secret plot by judges nationwide to promote crime to assure that their demands for palacial courthouses are met without any hassle. All rise!
The big ugly should be offer for redevelopment to add to the tax revenue and not take another parcel off the tax rolls. While something does need to done to have a justice system worthy of our fine citizens and their values ,these proposals spend more money for buildings to dispense justice than educate our children, the future of the BURG
The confined area between the ?big ugly? and the new parking garage will require very tight construction practices, fewer trades working at any one time which increases time to construct and thus the over cost per square foot. The modifications to the ?big ugly? will require modification of what is floor loads of 50 pounds per square foot to 100 pounds or more per square for the court uses or records storage.
I have lived in the BURG for over 30 years. I have also been in the construction industry for over 40 years. I have worked on projects in several states with large assembly uses being my specialty. I wish to voice my concern about this proposed courthouse scheme behind the ?big ugly.? My concerns are several, I noticed that the cost estimate was based on the same ?square foot? cost as the other schemes; I have NEVER found any construction project where renovation cost less than starting with clean slate.
The numbers people tell us we need to build more courthouses and jails. A better idea would be to implement a plan (with accountability) to reduce the number of persons in our courts and judicial system. We, as a city, need to tell them all to 'stuff it', and come up with a model plan for communities across the country. I don't buy these numbers being batted around. I don't think all of these citizens in our courts and jails is a good idea and I don't think criminals on the street is a good idea either
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