Lakeport courthouse project moves forward; design process nearing completion
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The effort to get a new courthouse for Lake County, now nearly 15 years in the making, is moving forward, with construction expected to begin next year.
The Lake County Superior Court said the new Lakeport courthouse project is nearing the completion of design.
The four-courtroom courthouse will be built at 675 Lakeport Blvd., purchased by the state in 2011 for $1.1 million, after a lengthy site selection process, which included input from justice partners, local government and the public.
The new building will replace the fourth floor of the current courthouse and will provide a safe and secure courthouse, with a jury assembly room, self-help center and attorney/client meeting rooms.
The Judicial Council of California reported that the courthouse project’s current authorized budget is $83,864,000.
It’s the highest priority trial court capital-outlay project in the entire state, court officials reported.
After the current courthouse at 255 N. Forbes St. was ranked in the Trial Court Capital Outlay Plan's “Immediate Need Project Priority Group” in 2009, the process of pursuing a new courthouse for Lake County began.
However, the Judicial Council’s plans hit obstacles, including the state’s financial challenges after the Great Recession.
The Lakeport courthouse project has consistently ranked at the top of the statewide list of projects most in need of replacement.
The latest statewide assessment of Trial Court Capital-Outlay Projects ranked Lakeport’s courthouse at the top of the statewide prioritized list of projects based on significant overcrowding, security concerns and accessibility challenges.
Last October, the team of Clark/Sullivan Broward Builders + Lionakis was selected as the design-build entity to design and construct the new building.
The Judicial Council, local court and the design-build team have spent the last year designing the new 46,000 square foot building.
Construction is currently scheduled to begin in late spring or early summer 2024 with completion in early 2026.
Additional information can be found at https://www.courts.ca.gov/facilities-lake.htm.
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