Work continues on TR satellite court building

Completion of the Three Rivers satellite court campus has been identified by St. Joseph County officials as another achievement to look forward to in the new year.

In order to free up space at the Centreville courts building, county officials are refurbishing the former Three Rivers Public Library as the new location for Friend of the Court and Probate/Family/Juvenile Court operations.

Groundbreaking for the $6.5 million renovation took place this past summer and work is progressing without any major hiccups. Operations are expected to be in place at the new location by May. More than two dozen employees help staff the two departments.

Workers are remodeling 20,000-square-feet while leaving another 2,000-square-feet available for future needs.

Meanwhile, the third of three major projects the county is authorizing centers on replacement of jail doors and the control room at the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department.

Three Rivers-based Brussee/Brady is overseeing the $528,400 project, which will involve the task of removing doors and frames from existing masonry openings.

Project officials said the overhaul will move the locking mechanism into the wall instead of into the door.

The job will start later in the year.