Delaware, Ohio’s historic-preservation commission recently approved, unanimously, of plans for a new judicial building. The new, more modern structure will replace the former Elk’s lodge built in the 1870s by 2017. The project will cost the county upwards of $32 million.
The new judicial building is part of the county’s wider efforts to expand both services and resources. Delaware County plans on adding another judge to accommodate a rapidly-growing community. The move will need to be approved by the Delaware County legislature, but sources close to the story seem to think that won’t be a problem. The third judge will act as a domestic relations judge, the county’s greatest need.
In addition to the new judge, the new judicial building will house a variety of new services, including a domestic relations court, probation services, the county clerk, and the Fifth District Court of Appeals. Currently, the Elk’s-turned-judicial building houses juvenile and probate courts too, but those will remain at the historic site while the majority of the county’s judicial services move to the new location.
Officials from the historic commission commented that while it’s a difficult task to make a modern building fit in with largely historic architecture, the architects did an excellent job with the design for the new judicial building.