County Examining $30 Million Courthouse Expansion

Howard County is proposing about $30 million over the next 5 years to expand the Circuit Court building in Ellicott City.

In this year's capital budget, County Executive Ken Ulman proposed $1 million to begin designs for the expansion. An additional $22 million is being considered for the fiscal year 2015 budget with another $8.6 million in the fiscal year 2017 budget.

"Howard County has long been aware of the need for additional courtroom space," said the county's director of communications, David Nitkin, in an email, "and there is money in the capital budget to begin the design of an addition to the Circuit Courthouse."

Proposed updates to the courthouse include a new judicial function building and parking garage, a single entry checkpoint via a skybridge, two new civil courtrooms, secure parking for judges, and renovations of the jury assembly areas and waiting areas, according to the capital budget proposal.

At a County Council public hearing in April, Circuit Court Administrative Judge Lenore Gelfman told the Council that the building needs an update, according to an Explore Howard report. 

She said some courtrooms are not safe for criminal cases due to their proximity to the public and that the building, which was last renovated in 1988, is in need of an additional judge, according to the report. 

Sara Arditti, a Main Street merchant, testified before the Council earlier this week. She said the money would be better spent building a parking garage on Main Street rather than at Circuit Court.

The county has already spent $4.5 million to modify the courthouse as well as conduct design and construction on the county-owned Ascend One building to turn it into a possible temporary courthouse, according to Nitkin.

The Ascend One buidling is located on Stanford Boulevard in Columbia.

As for whether the proposed parking garage will double as parking for people who want to walk to Main Street, Nitkin said it's too early to know.

"The design has not begun, so it is premature to talk about any possible elements—including a possible garage or a possible walkway to Main Street," said Nitkin, in an email. "The Ellicott City community will play an important role in the design process."

Nitkin said the county is looking to secure state funds for the project to help offset its cost.