Staunton calls for bids on Juvenile & Domestic Relations courthouse project

STAUNTON – The former Chestnut Hills Shopping Center sits empty on West Beverley Street, a fence wrapped around the parking lot. The lot hasn’t recently seen the kind of traffic it used to, when it was home to several stores. A recent announcement from Staunton will change this.

“Staunton is accepting bids for construction for the new Juvenile & Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court facility that will be located in Staunton’s West End in the former Chestnut Hills Shopping Center at 2040 West Beverley St,” reads a press release from the city.

Next week, Staunton City Council will hold a public hearing on the “not to exceed $35.5 million” bond for the project. This “is not the expected cost of the J&DR District Court facility,” but the maximum amount the city could borrow for the project.

Beginning with a court order

In 2021, a court order required Augusta County to bring current Augusta County Courthouse and the current J&DR courthouse in downtown Staunton up to modern standards. According to the press release, Augusta County owns the downtown Staunton J&DR District Court building and shares the facility with Staunton.

In November 2022, Augusta County voters decided to move the Augusta County Courthouse from its current Staunton location to Verona in a nearly five-to-one vote. The Augusta County Board of Supervisors approved an approximately $62 million contract with Branch Builds for the project last week, which includes new J&DR facilities for the county. With Augusta County moving out, Staunton would already have to make adjustments to current operations to account for the Augusta relocation.

The News Leader wrote a timeline of events leading up to Staunton City Council considering the Hardy Lot for the courthouse, but before long council began searching for a new location. The Hardy Lot was ultimately rejected.

The city officially acquired the former Chestnut Hills Shopping Center in August, with a construction fence going up soon after.

Moseley Architects PC has a contract just short of $2 million with Staunton for the architectural designs, the same firm working on the Augusta County Courthouse project for over $4 million. The city sheriff, judges, clerk, and their staffs were consulted for the design.

What comes next for the West End?

The new courthouse could be a draw for attorney’s offices and businesses looking to serve the needs of the many government and private workers expected to operate in the building. If so, the businesses could bring more services to Staunton’s West End, one of the goals expressed in a neighborhood workshop in January and another last week.

“The court facility construction is a signature project for the City of Staunton that will bring exciting changes to the West End and help spur economic growth and redevelopment in the area, which is a key part of the Staunton Plan adopted by the Staunton City Council,” reads the press release.

More information on the West End Revitalization Strategy can be found online, including material from the January meeting.

As for the courthouse itself, bids for the project are due on March 29, construction following in the spring. The courthouse “must be completed and ready for use” by November 2025, according to the press release.

The former Heck’s Department Store will be demolished as part of the project. Sections of the adjacent existing building will be reused.

“The new J&DR District Court building will be set toward the back of the lot and the front of the building will face West Beverley Street,” reads the press release. The new courthouse will be a “two-story brick building totaling 34,330 square feet with two courtrooms and a space for security programs.”

Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It’s welcome through email to [email protected]. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton calls for bids on Juvenile & Domestic Relations courthouse project