City starts evaluating new court feasibility

Officials say the cost of building a new courthouse is going to be an obstacle.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city is taking steps to determine the cost and feasibility of relocating the municipal court from its cramped quarters on city hall's second floor.
Mayor Jay Williams has sent a written "memorandum of understanding" to the court's three judges. It outlines a plan devised by the city administration and the judges to examine moving the court.
Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr., Youngstown Municipal Court's presiding and administrative judge, said he's very pleased with the mayor's proposal and agrees with it in principle.
City officials requested last week that the Youngstown Area Central Improvement Corp., a downtown property redevelopment agency, approve a resolution giving the municipal court the first option on any development at the former Masters building complex.
The city demolished the CIC-owned complex last year and is in the process of turning it into a parking lot. City and CIC officials have envisioned a building on the property at some future time.
The CIC referred the city request on the court-Masters issue to its staff last week to work out the needed language with city officials for a resolution. The CIC board is expected to next meet July 25.
If the CIC gives the court a written first right of refusal designation, Williams said he'll assign someone to work with the court's architect to develop plans for a new facility.
The design phase could take five to six months to complete, Judge Douglas said.
After the design phase is finished, Williams said his administration would provide a financing plan for the court within 90 days that would "analyze capacity, resources, options and/or alternatives for the financing of the proposed project."
Discussions on a new court facility have been ongoing for years with nothing accomplished. But in recent months, with Judge Douglas pushing the issue, Williams and city council have agreed to develop a financial plan.
The administration and council say the cost of building a new courthouse is going to be an obstacle.
The judges and city officials say the current court is too small, in poor shape and is unsafe.
Williams and the judges agree that they will look at other sites if they are viable locations.
Cost estimates
For the past few months, the city has discussed possibly moving the court to either the former Masters site or the 74-year-old city annex building on West Federal Street.
The cost estimate on rehabilitating the annex is between $7.5 million and $10 million, according to preliminary estimates.
A new courthouse at the former Masters complex would cost about $8 million, according to preliminary estimates.
Because the cost difference between building a new facility and rehabilitating the annex is minimal, Williams prefers the former.
"Let's get to the point where we have a cost and some options," Williams said. "Four million dollars or $5 million might be realistic to pay."
For the past eight years, the judges have collected $14 court fees for the proposed facility. The fund has more than $1 million in it.
The judges wanted to use the money to furnish a new building as well as buy technology and pay for security.
But the judges say the money could go toward the construction phase of the court facility. Also, Judge Douglas said he has no problem with Williams' suggestion to a "reasonable increase" in the fee.
skolnick@vindy.com