County Council hears courthouse study

By Chad Rhoad
Editor/ The Messenger
Published: May 9, 2008

DARLINGTON – The Darlington County Council convened a special session Tuesday night. They met to hear the findings of the Carter, Goble and Lee (CGL) companies regarding the recent space feasibility study done to determine the best possible location for a new courthouse for Darlington County.

Senior associate Anders Kaufman and associate Alice Painter presented their findings along with several contracted architects and engineers.

They considered three possible locations for the new complex. Those were to build completely new complexes at North Main Street and Blue Street or at the Harry Byrd Road site next to the detention center.

The third option was to keep the administrative offices in the current courthouse and build a new annex across the street at Public Square and North Main Street. CGL recommended the option of using the current courthouse and building a new annex across the street. That option would cost roughly $23.3 million for the minimum option, which would build a scaled down courthouse and $36 million for the maximum option, which would include building a new larger courthouse with room for expected growth. Both of the other locations would cost between $20 – 32 million.

Painter said CGL recommended the downtown option for several reasons: because of its close proximity to the existing structure, to maintain tradition, to enhance downtown commerce, and because of the city’s desire to be a construction partner in the project. Chip Auman, chairman of the Courthouse Space Feasibility Committee, also added another problem to moving the courthouse to the Harry Byrd Road site. “Relocation of functions traditionally performed in a county courthouse outside boundaries of the county seat is of questionable legality,” Auman said. “The term courthouse is synonymous with the county seat. If you move [the courthouse], you may move the county seat.” Auman said that would be a possible legal battle. “We just looked at our needs now and what we will need in the future without a lot of entanglements.”

The recommendation met some opposition in councilwomen Wilhelmina Johnson and Anne Warr. Warr and Johnson both agreed the courthouse would better serve the community at the Harry Byrd Road site. Johnson said she has even named it. “I call it Judicial Plaza,” she said.

Councilman Le Flowers also voiced a concern. Flowers questioned whether it would be financially responsible to build in the congested downtown area, only to possibly have this problem again in a few years. Auman and CGL said they considered all of the future growth and possible needs in the study and that building a new building across from the current courthouse is the most viable option in their opinion. Council Chairman Billy Baldwin and councilman Dannie Douglas ended the session with thanks to CGL and Auman for their competence and professionalism.

Both men agreed the council had much to consider with the report being more than 200 pages. Baldwin also invited city officials to be a part of the coming discussion on the courthouse.