Construction on New Sacramento County Courthouse Begins
After constantly being stalled by a funding crisis and getting bumped for other courthouse projects, construction finally began on the new 18-story state-of-the-art court facility in Sacramento County. The new downtown Sacramento superior courthouse will significantly expand the county’s court system.
On Thursday, August 25, workers were seen installing the last glass panels on the side of the courthouse near the Railyards District. The building sits on a 2.4-acre lot near 6th Street and H Street.
Plans were approved in early 2016 for the new courthouse. However, a lack of funding put the project on hold. In 2018, the budget was approved, with construction scheduled to start in late 2019, but the project was pushed out due to delays.
About the New Sacramento County Superior Courthouse
According to the Superior Court of California, the new courthouse will feature 53 courtrooms, with 35 courtrooms relocating from the existing Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse.
The new 538,000-square-foot courthouse will house the court’s civil and criminal operations and cover an entire city block. It will feature a glass curtain wall veneer on the north side of the building, which will allow for natural sunlight in the public corridors and a view of the American River.
Once completed, the Sacramento project will add to the long list of California court upgrades in recent years.
Replacing the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse
Sacramento court and city leaders had wanted to build a new courthouse to replace the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse for years, which they said had become cramped, unsafe, and obsolete.
The Schaber Courthouse, located on H Street and 9th Street, was initially built in 1965 with 22 courtrooms but was later expanded to 44 rooms.
Court officials said the old courthouse has many issues, and it is overcrowded and lacks many essential features to function safely. Most courtrooms are well below standard size, and there are no fire sprinklers. There is also a safety issue, having just one route for defendants that transports inmates directly past the clerk and judges’ quarters.
The Schaber Courthouse will shut its doors once the new courthouse opens.
The Cost of the New Sacramento Courthouse
Although the budget for construction was slated at $514 million, the building will cost half-billion dollars to complete, an estimated cost of over $480 million. It is being funded by Senate Bill 1403/General Fund.
The court’s new rooms will be near the juror parking lots and central county jail and be easily accessible by public transportation.
Completion of Sacramento County’s new Superior Courthouse is slated for November 2023.
Watch YouTube Video: New Sacramento County Courthouse Construction Underway. The video below from KCRA 3 News shows drone footage of the 18-story Sacramento County courthouse.
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