The Clerk of Courts office, judges’ offices, probation department and the law library will all move beginning Jan. 29 and continuing throughout February. These offices will be open on the third floor of the Bushnell Building at 14 E. Main St. until work on the courthouse is complete.
“Our courthouse belongs to the people, and it serves as a very important symbol for the rule of law,” Domestic Relations Judge Thomas Capper said in a release. “Those of us who are fortunate enough to work at the courthouse very much appreciate the efforts of our county commissioners and their staff to make this project something that we all can be very proud of for many years to come.”
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
The county will be charged $26,500 per month to take up space on the Bushnell building’s third floor.
The courthouse’s exterior went through renovations several years ago, with the replacement of windows and other updates to the building.
County Administrator Jennifer Hutchinson previously said the temporary location is convenient because it is only a block from the courthouse, so anyone who goes to the wrong place can walk a short distance.
The $26,500 monthly rate is similar to what the county was charged for the renovation project for the A.B. Graham building from 2019 to 2020. The building houses several Clark County offices.
During a regular commission meeting in September, the county approved a $1.3 million contract with Becker Construction Inc. to make the space suitable to hold court.
The project was delayed after bids for the construction were too high.
One challenge of renovating the Bushnell Building was creating adequate holding cell space.
County public information officer Mike Cooper said at a county commission meeting that the goal is to be fully operational in the temporary space at the end of February. He said very few courts will be closed during the transition to prevent judges falling behind on their caseloads.
The Clark County commission in June 2022 approved up to $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to cover architect fees for the improvement project.
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