The Commonwealth’s judiciary operates out of 105 active court facilities, with over 5.5 million gross square feet of space, in 60 communities across the state. Sixty of the facilities are state-owned and operated and 45 are a combination of county and privately-leased facilities. Capital spending for judiciary projects is administered through DCAM, which has spent approximately $496 million on courts projects over the past five years, 32% of its total capital spending. DCAM and the Trial Court leadership have implemented a program centered on consolidated comprehensive justice centers. These multi-departmental buildings provide one-stop service for the public and the legal community and offer opportunities for improved efficiencies and coordinated operations for the Trial Court.
The following chart shows projected fiscal year 2010 spending and the Administration’s expected five-year capital investments in courts. Lower spending in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 reflect the completion of the three major court projects currently underway and the initiation of the next wave of court projects, including projects in Greenfield and Lowell.
$26 million for completion of the Fall River Justice Center, an $85 million state-of-the-art courthouse which is the first LEED certified silver-designed courthouse in the state.
$26.6 million for continued construction of the new $106 million courthouse in Salem, co-locating four trial court departments in a new building in historic downtown Salem and incorporating an historic former church building as the law library.
$25 million for completion of the new $86 million Taunton trial court facility, also co-locating four trial court departments and creating a public plaza while providing for a future connection to the historic Superior Court building on the Taunton Green.
Additional site preparation work and environmental remediation will continue on the new Lowell courthouse. This work will ready the site for the design phase scheduled to start in FY12.
Design will begin on the $60 million Greenfield trial court facility to consolidate all five trial court departments in a new building on the site of the existing courthouse.
In collaboration with the City of Northampton, DCAM will be developing a master plan for the future of the court facilities in that city.