Courthouse Complex
In December 2007, the City Council approved the downtown post office site as the preferred site for the new courthouse. (See Resolution 07-122.) The 1852 Circuit Courthouse, while an architectural jewel of the historic district, is obsolete by modern court standards of security and separation, and must be replaced by a modern, combined courthouse on another site.
In January 2008, the City began working in earnest with Keating Development Company, the U.S. Postal Service’s designated developer, on the redevelopment of the post office site as a mixed use development as envisioned by the City’s JumpStart Fredericksburg 2010 Report. This mixed use development is envisioned to include a new courthouse complex, a postal retail station within a new commercial office, and a residential townhouse development. To accomplish the plan, the City must assist in the relocation of the USPS carrier facility.
In June 2008, City Council approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the USPS and Keating Development Company. The agreement defined a scope of work for pre-development activities related to the new courthouse and the relocation of the USPS carrier facility. The MOA organizes the scope of work into two phases.
Phase I consists of conceptual design and master planning. The work includes a preliminary site plan and block and stack floor plan diagrams for the proposed courts building. Keating has completed the Phase I work in November 2008. City Council must now assess progress, and determine whether to initiate work under Phase II.
Phase II consists of pre-development studies such as environmental assessment, geotechnical engineering, archeology, and traffic analysis. Phase II also includes preliminary design work on the USPS carrier facility.
Courthouse Presentations
In January, City Council will:
- Consider/Approve conceptual site plan of Courthouse/Mixed Use Development, and interior space layout of new courthouse
- Consider/Authorize Keating Development Company (representing the U.S. Postal Service) to proceed with Phase II work under the Memorandum Of Agreement (pre-development studies, land options, etc.)
- Consider/Approve the “Recommended Plan” to build the courthouse all-at-once.
View the PowerPoint presentations of New Courthouse for City of Fredericksburg and New Courthouse Planning.
City Manager's Memo Regarding Site Selection
Court Feasibility Study (August 27, 2007)
In the City of Fredericksburg-commissioned report dated August 27, 2007, Moseley Architects of Richmond examines several important court issues including:
- Historic significance of the 1852 Circuit Courthouse (Page 4)
- Condition and adequacy of the facilities of the court system (Page 13)
- Anticipated court staffing and space needs (Page 33)
- Potential Court facilities sites (Page 34)
- Analysis and conclusions (Page 66)
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