Tour Deep Into The New Courthouse Construction

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The new District Courthouse under construction at Rt. 28 and Maryland Avenue towers over the surrounding buildings. Since I live right off Maryland Avenue and pass the bustling site regularly, I jumped at the chance to see this state-of-the-art building before its completion. Mostly curious but also just plain nosy, I’m wanted to witness the hard work that goes into making a building from the inside. I’m sure we’ve all noticed it from the outside. How could you not?

Here’s a look on the inside along with some terrific views of Rockville:

Aileen Klein and City staffer Rocio Estrada helped Trapper Martin arrange the tour for the Town Center Action Team (TCAT). Carl Fox from the Department of General Services was the main tour guide explaining the safety concerns and building features. Our instructions were to look down even when you were looking up since debris is standard on a construction site. There are no elevators so our group walked up the stairs then crossed the floors to the other side. With temperatures in the 90’s and long pants with boots, this was one hot excursion.

The contract completion date is December 4, 2010. However, in mid-June the schedule was 15 days behind due to the snow last winter. There are also about $200,000 worth of change orders. Between 125-170 workers are on the site daily and that number will increase when the interior work starts. After the building is completed, it will take another month to furnish the 165,000 square foot structure. Mr. Fox said he would be happy if it was done by his birthday so we had to ask the date. February 1st. So, my unofficial guess for an actual “in business” date would be sometime in March, but construction always takes longer than the longest guess.

The project is on budget. The bid was competitive not lowest-bid, but Coakley Williams Construction wound up being the most qualified and they made the lowest bid. This brought the project in substantially below the amount expected and even with a contingency fund, money was given back to the State coffers.

Here’s the basic layout of the new building.

Security gates on Vinson Street will give access to the driveway down to the garage entrances for prisoners, judges, and administrators. Prisoners will be taken into two garage entrances next to a special door for the judges who have their own underground parking (23 spots) and private elevators to the floors with courtrooms and the clerk’s office. Cameras and electronic security blocks will be used for this area including a separate loading dock for deliveries. Prisoners will enter the building then immediately go to a caged area with 11 holding cells. The prisoner elevators will also have cages built inside so there is no way someone could get out.

The main entrance on Rt. 28 will serve everyone else entering the courthouse with metal detectors and a complete security system. The three-story windowed atrium will have three-glass door entrances. The exterior is limestone from Arkansas and black granite.

If you’re curious about the two-story section of the building jutting out to the street, the first floor will be used for building services and the public defenders’ offices while the second floor holds the clerk of the courts, high-density file storage, and the cashier (for paying fines).

The courtrooms will be on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors. One section of the 4th floor will be a multi-purpose room. The bowed ceilings being installed will absorb sound so that when the double doors to the courtrooms are closed, they will be soundproof. No one will be able to listen at the door.

The judges chambers face City Hall to the south and the courtrooms are in the interior of the building without windows. Each of the judges’ chambers will have a closet and bathroom with a sink.

We all hoped we will never have to come to the courthouse on business, but we sure enjoyed the tour. The high-up views were exhilarating without windows or walls. I felt like I was perched on a cliff. Everyone thought the time was well-spent. We’ll always know what’s behind the walls of the courthouse.

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