Courts building renovation continues

The estimated $7.7 million renovation of the county courts building highlights what to expect from St. Joseph County government in the coming 12 months.

The 50-year-old courts building houses circuit, district and probate/family court operations. The courts building is at the south end of the courthouse campus and connected to the county’s historic courthouse by an interior breezeway.

A portion of the work has already started, as a new roof was added over the majority of the courts building over the fall. Finance director Angie Steinman said a few components of the $455,000 roof job still need to be addressed but the most critical part of the task has been completed.

Meanwhile, county administrator Teresa Doehring called the impending interior renovation the most significant upgrade since the courts building opened in the mid-1970s.

Renovation will impact all three floors of the courts building, affecting more than 36,000-square-feet in total. The plan includes a small addition to the south end of the building with the intent of providing a new sallyport for in-custody jail inmates brought into the building for court-related proceedings.

Work is slated to begin late spring.