PORTSMOUTH
Despite the threat of a legal fight with local judges, the City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to move ahead with plans to turn a local building into a new courthouse.
The vote means that city leaders will now begin negotiations to purchase the Port Centre I building. The facility would have to meet Virginia Supreme Court guidelines, and before any contract is signed, it would need council approval.
However, the council also made it clear that it still wants to keep a plan to build a new $45 million courthouse on the table. Council members instructed City Manager Kenneth Chandler to provide them details on both projects.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Psimas said she is leaning toward the Port Centre option but wants more information on the proposal.
"I'm not yet convinced that it's really going to save any money in the long run," Psimas said.
The action comes three weeks before council members are due in court to show why they should not be ordered to provide a suitable court complex. Members discussed legal strategies in closed session Tuesday night.
The city's Circuit Court judges began legal action earlier this month after seeing the new proposal to turn the Port Centre 1 office building into a courthouse.
The judges have expressed concerns since 1995 about the state of the court complex, which includes General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts.
The city has already spent almost $2 million on the design work for the new Circuit Court building which would have been the first in a multi-phased plan to replace the three courts.
Chandler has said the Port Centre option would save the city $18 million and that eventually all of the courts could be moved to that site. In his report to council members, Chandler said the city could not build a new facility "within the confines of its debt affordability policy" and that without a tax increase, it would jeopardize other needs.
The report also stated that according to preliminary calculations, it would cost about $27 million to acquire the PortCentre Commerce Park property and turn it into a courthouse.
Janie Bryant, (757) 446-2453, janie.bryant@pilotonline.com
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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WATCH STEVE HERETICK!!!!!
Remember that the council voted to explore the possibilities of purchasing the Port Centre complex....they left open the (hope) of Councilboy Steve Heretick that they still might go for the ultra expensive courts buildings that he wishes to sit in when LOUISE LUCAS gets him appointed to a judges position. I must say that I also thank the council for this decision to be good stewards of MY money. NOW, DON'T CHANGE YOUR MINDS!!!!!!!!!
Recycle city buildings
For the courthouse location, consider "recycling" the former Woodrow Wilson High School Building on Willett Drive. Although it's 53 years old at this point, the concrete slab and column structure is still sound....just needs internal renovations. Just think, courtrooms on every level!...and a food court to boot! Plus, there's plenty of parking to accommodate lots of folks.
Hey, Hey
My confidence in City Council has nearly been restored after both votes from last night's meeting. Keep it up and I may change my mind about how you handle corruption in City Hall. That being said, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for thinking of the tax payers." Hang in there with your votes, you haven't heard the last from our "HONORABLE" Mayor or QUEEN LUCAS.
SHAME ON YOU MAYOR!
Two in one night!!!
Portsmouth City Council actually made two votes in favor of taxpayers wallets in one night! Must be a new record. Thank you for voting against the Lucas project, and for standing your ground on the courts building. I'm still not convinced that Port Centre is a better option that Midtown, but at least it gets the building off of the riverfront. Eventually all of the city buildings (including the jail and city hall) will have to move from their prime locations, so maybe looking into Midtown is a better option in the long run. The area is called Midtown for a reason...more convenient for people who live in Churchland and towards Chesapeake Square Mall. The land in Midtown is probably cheaper, too.
Move it all to Midtown
I was a Deputy Sheriff in P-Town from 80-84. Even then, the infrastructure at the jail, PD, and courts was in questionable shape. 30 years later, these facilities are still there, decaying further by the day, and occupying prime real estate. Yet at Frederick and Turnpike, the old Norcom HS site sits vacant, as it has for years, not making the city a dime in revenue. It's just a matter of time before the entire city government has to move, so why not just relocate everything to Midtown, which is considerably more accessable than downtown? I realize funding can be an issue, but it would make sense to develop a master plan and then build in increments as the funding became available. Am I the only one that sees this as an option?
Debt Affordability
Chandler said the city could not build a new facility "within the confines of its debt affordability policy" and that without a tax increase, it would jeopardize other needs.
Would other needs include the Lucas hotel project?