HENDERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CHOOSE 5 STORY BUILDING DESIGN FOR COURTHOUSE ANNEX

Henderson County commissioners are moving forward with plans for the county's costliest capital project ever.

County commissioners recently voted to go with a five-story building design over a three-story structure for a judicial center on North Grove Street. The center would be an annex to the 1995 Courthouse.

Henderson County Business and Community Development Director Christopher Todd said both designs came to around 94,000 square feet.

The project also includes an expansion of the county's detention center, for which commissioners already picked a design. Todd said most of the jail expansion is aimed at increasing male housing.

Fentress Architects have come up with the concepts for the county. The total projected cost of the project is about $150 million now.

"A growing population in Henderson County means, unfortunately, sometimes we need more room in our detention center and we also need more room in our courts. That is facilitating the overall need for this project," Todd said.

Todd said the project will now move into the "schematic design" stage, which involves a more detailed design of the buildings. Once that is done, the county will look for a contractor to construct the buildings.

He said the planning, as well as the execution of the expansions and renovations are slated to take three-four years.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSHenderson County commissioners choose 5-story building design for courthouse annex | WLOS