This contributor opinion is by Mary Ellen Flynn, president of the Bar Association of Montgomery County. It is in response to an article by Frank Anastasi:
I respect that you, your friends and colleagues have a different viewpoint from the one shared by me, the entire Montgomery County Delegation of Legislators, the County Executive, all of the Courthouse Elected officials, and many public officials and County residents on the subject of the location of the new Rockville District Courthouse at the old Library site. We who support the construction at the old Library site remain steadfast in our position, as it is firmly based on facts relating to location, cost, and positive benefits to be gained for the entire County and State.
The old Library site is directly across the street from the current District Courthouse building, so infrastructure already exists for the placement of the Courthouse at that location. The site’s proximity to the Circuit Court, State’s Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and other County agencies associated with the everyday legal business conducted in our County Seat would facilitate efficiency, not only for lawyers, judges and other public officials, but for the County’s citizens who conduct business in this judicial quadrant on a daily basis. With public parking already located nearby (some even on the same side of the street as the old Library site) and easy access to both Circuit Court and many court-related agencies within a convenient two-block area, efficiency would result. It is anticipated that shorter, less confusing travel among the courthouses and other judicial agencies would occur if the Circuit and District Courts were located within a centralized area rather than being separated and on opposite sides of the expansive Town Center.
As is well-documented, a great deal of taxpayer money has been authorized and already spent on purchasing and designating the old Library site as the location for the new District Courthouse. Additionally, architectural designs specific to that site have been ordered, prepared and paid for. These plans are now only waiting for State funding. At a time when fiscal prudence is on the minds of all County and State taxpayers and no overabundance of funds exists in any of the governmental coffers, the scrapping of completed architectural plans on which significant money has already been spent, the incurring of millions of dollars solely due to construction delays, and the risk of diverting $71 Million of State funding away from this much-needed courthouse are unacceptable to most County residents.
Although it is understood that at the outset any new construction will not be without concerns and opinions on both sides, the concerns and opinions on construction at the old Library site have been voiced and addressed as completely as is practicable. Now, with the positive benefits of the old Library site far outweighing the few negatives, it is time for the new District Courthouse to be built at the old Library site, so that the judicial, commercial and residential sectors of our County Seat can once-again operate as effectively and efficiently as possible and thrive.
Mary Ellen Flynn, President
Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD
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2 comments:
I think both sites are acceptable and after reading this letter would agree that the old library site is the more appropriate. This building is for those that use it most such as lawyers, judges, police man, and other personnel. It would be most convenient for them to be located in the closest proximity to the other administrative/judicial buildings.
I was originally excited about the Giant site because I believe that placing a new structure there in addition to a public park and an extended Maryland Ave, will do much to improve the area north of Beall. I live across Hungerford close the Giant site and I would like the City to use any means possible to get this area redeveloped, especially the large vacant building and parking lot.
Can our City find another use for the giant site? Can we just purchase it anyway and put a park in, put the roads in? I can imagine a large mixed use building like the current Arts and Innovation Center. I think this would be an excellent location for the much talked about science center as well as a civic center. I may be too naïve but these are just my two cents. Thank you.
Dave Roberson
How in the world can you say.."the concerns and opinions on construction at the old Library site have been voiced and addressed as completely as is practicable" ? IGNORED is more like it.
For example, traffic and parking.
Where do you think 500 cars a day (the official estimate)are going to park? Have you ever tried to drive up or down Washington St.? It is now usually lined with police cars for officers who are in court -- blocks away. With a new courthouse at the library site, all day long those cars will be driving around and around S. Washington St. and S. Adams St. looking for non-existing parking. These streets are substandard width, with residents parking on the streets because many of us don't have driveways. This will be a nightmare.
I just keep going back to the fact that the Governor, who doesn't even live in Rockville and certainly has many more demanding matters to address, calls putting the courthouse at the Library site the "worst case of urban design malfeasance" ever. When you think about it, shouldn't his perspective carry a lot more weight than either yours or mine?
Another important concern has never been addressed - this urgent demand the court all of a sudden seems to have to be able to walk criminals from the existing, secure court complex across the street where the new courthouse would be.
What "positive benefit" will this have on the "county's citizens who conduct business in this judicial quadrant on a daily basis"? Such as the elementary school children, and me and my neighbors?
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