Work to begin on Mahoning juvenile-court addition

The 3,000-square-foot expansion was designed judiciously, the administrator said.

YOUNGSTOWN — A ground-breaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday hopes to remedy a cramped situation at the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center, 300 E. Scott St.

County commissioners put money away about eight years ago for the overdue expansion, Judge Theresa Dellick of the Mahoning County Juvenile Court said Friday.

“It was money set aside a long time ago,” she said.

Judge Dellick said the expansion project had to go through a number of routine steps. One step came when court officials were concerned about an old tree on property adjoining the court’s proposed expansion site. There was no quick fix since officials discovered the property belonged to an absentee landowner.

The expansion is only about 3,000 square feet of space, according to Anthony D’Apolito, the juvenile- court administrator.

“It’s not a big thing. It was designed that way. It’s very tight,” Judge Dellick said.

But the new building plan has satisfied the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

Time is also a factor in handling cases. Judge Dellick said that her court is among the top in the state in handling cases on time.

“We do them very fast,” she said.

The changes will help justice keep moving.

There will be new security arrangements that include separate entrances for court workers and the public.

Now, families and youths are let into traffic court in groups. Under the changes, adults and youths will go into court at one time. Juvenile court handles about 2,700 juvenile traffic cases a year.

The judge turned a two-person office into a four-person room by using dividers. Other rooms were turned into small courts.

Lawyers with hearings or meetings involving families have been so close the lawyers were actually touching, D’Apolito said.

The new building will include a multiuse room that can be used for meetings or another court.

The expansion is expected to be completed next spring.

wilkinson@vindy.com