New Courts Complex
Project Summary and Scope
The City of Richmond (COR) is exploring consolidation of judicial functions of the current court operations at the John Marshall Court House, the Department of Justice Services and the Adult Drug Court. The Manchester Courthouse and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court will continue in their current locations.
On October 19, 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services Division of Engineering and Building evaluation determined that the John Marshall Courts Building is not in compliance with the Code of Virginia § 17.1-281. Based on that determination the current facility will be replaced to achieve compliance.
In August 2021, COR created a Courthouse Planning Oversight Committee as recommended by the Virginia Courthouse Facility Guidelines. The Committee consist of various COR departments, the Sheriff’s Office, representatives from Circuit, General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts, Commonwealth Attorney, VA Bar Association, Public Defender Office, Central Virginia Legal Aid Society and AECOM.
On December 5, 2022, Judge W. Reilly Marchant notified CAO Lincoln Saunders that the Circuit Court judges unanimously request the new courts building be located at the John Marshall Plaza site within the city center plan. Department of Social Services (DSS) are located in the John Marshall Plaza. They are currently looking for new office space. Once DSS has been relocated, the plaza will be razed and the site prepared for construction of the new courts building.
Baskervill Architects has been contracted to develop a space needs assessment and concept design study to determine square foot needs for a new edifice and determine occupants of the new seat of government.
Project Milestones
The space needs assessment and concept design study has been completed.
Project Funding
TBD
Project Status Updates
Baskervill has completed the conceptual plan and the Court Stakeholders has approved the conceptual plan.
Permit, information is listed below. For details, please call the Department of Planning Development and Review at 804-646-4169.
Not applicable at this time.
Expenses (costs are reported quarterly)
January 2024 actual and encumbered expenditures to date: $1,646,908 for conceptual plan
Project Contact Information, if you have questions about this project please contact this individual.
For information about the details of any project first contact the public information office for the department running the project. For most projects the following people can help:
- Department of General Services: Lynne Lancaster – lynne.lancaster@rva.gov (804) 646-6006
Project Overall Status (Active, Pending or Complete)
Pending
Ordinance Information
Not applicable at this time. Still in programming stage.
Contract Information
Baskervill Architects and the judicial architectural firm Fentress were contracted to prepare space needs assessment and concept design study.
