Howard County Courthouse Expansion Project Gets Rolling

There will be a public meeting on the proposed expansion of the Howard County Circuit Court building this week.

The courthouse on the hill above Main Street is in need of more space, according to government officials, and in the past few years, the county has budgeted for improvements.

The budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 includes $3 million for renovations to the courthouse, with $19.8 million anticipated next year.

According to County Executive Ken Ulman's introduction to the budget, the $3 million will go toward designing the circuit courthouse expansion.

Proposed updates include an additional building with parking garage; a single-entry checkpoint via a skybridge; two new civil courtrooms with judges' chambers; secure parking for judges and masters; and increasing functionality of the jury assembly areas, waiting areas and atrium, according to the capital budget proposal.

Design will take place this year, with construction commencing the following year and work to be complete by July 2019, according to the budget.

At a meeting Tuesday night, citizens will be introduced to the team of consultants working on the project and may ask questions and provide feedback about expansion plans for the courthouse, according a a statement from Howard County government.

The public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at the Roger Carter Community Center, 3000 Milltowne Drive, in Ellicott City.

Can't make the meeting? Citizens can send input or questions to EllicottCityCourthouseExpansionProject@howardcountymd.gov.

Related:

• County Examining $30 Million Courthouse Expansion
• Special Staircase to Connect Historic Ellicott City 
• Ellicott City Courthouse Plans Uncertain