Building projects will soon be done

Judge Krichbaum has claiming rights on courtroom space.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- One phase of a renovation project at Mahoning County Courthouse and construction of the new 7th District Court of Appeals building are nearing completion at the same time.
Robert Budinsky, the appeals court's administrator, said construction of the new courthouse on West Federal Street should be finished by March 1. The appeals judges will move from the fourth floor of the county courthouse to the new location in late March or early April, he said.
That move will free up a courtroom that one of the five county common pleas judges may claim. Judge James C. Evans, who is administrative judge this year, said courtrooms are assigned by seniority. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum is the most senior judge, and he is expected to decide this week if he will move his court to the fourth floor, Judge Evans said.
Consolidation preparations
Meanwhile, work continues to consolidate administrative operations of common pleas court on the third floor of the county courthouse. Court reporters' office space and a magistrate's hearing room are nearly ready for carpet installation, which is the final task, said Pete Triveri, the county's facilities management director. The renovation of new offices for three magistrates is 30 to 40 days away from completion, he added.
Magistrates' offices have been scattered throughout the courthouse, and they have had to use vacant jury rooms to conduct their own hearings.
The magistrates and court reporters are moving to an area on the third floor that formerly was used by the county prosecutor's criminal division. That office moved to the county administration building, behind the courthouse, in 2004.
The mediation office already is on the third floor of the courthouse. Common pleas judges also want to move the court assignment office from the second floor to the third.
Other moves remain in limbo. A plan to move the grand jury hearing room and victims-witness office from the third floor to the county administration building lacks consensus, Judge Evans said.
The idea was to move domestic relations court magistrates there from the courthouse basement. The domestic relations courtroom is on the fourth floor.
shaulis@vindy.com