austin neighborhood council civil & family courthouse april 22, 2015 1

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Austin Neighborhood Council

Civil & Family Courthouse

April 22, 2015

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Importance of the Court System

The provision of safe, secure, accessible and functional facilities to house the Courts is a

mandated obligation of the Commissioners Court.

The first duty of society is justice.

-Alexander Hamilton

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Growth Demands – Travis County

= Population25,000 people

20351,631,951

20151,158,281

2000812,280

193077,777

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Historical and Projected Case Loadings

2015 Need318,000 sf

2035 Need509,000 sf

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Heman MarionSweatt Courthouse

158,000 sf

2025 Need453,000 sf

Projected Space Needs

= 10,000 sq. ft.

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Designed for 3 courtrooms (1931)

- Now houses 19 courtrooms

- Current need: 24 courtrooms

Three expansions since opening

- 1958, 1962, and 1964

The building still has significant deficiencies.

Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse

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Degraded infrastructure

Costly to maintain

Security weaknesses

- No separation of in-custody participants

No appropriate waiting areas for children

ADA compliance issues

No family considerations

Inefficient courtroom layouts

Inadequate jury facilities

Poor user amenities

Lacks technology capabilities

HMS Courthouse Deficiencies

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Site Selection

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Historic Location

1839 Plan of the City of Austin – the ‘Waller Plan’

1855 Travis County Courthouse on CFCH site

The Civil & Family Courthouse will be on site originally planned to house the Courthouse dating back to 1839

The first Courthouse occupied the site with a jail from 1855 to 1874

The Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse has been in continuous use since June 1931

N

N

CFCH Site

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Bicycle Priority Streets

The CFCH location is one of the most accessible locations in all of Travis County.

Accessibility

Overflow Parking Options

Civil and Family Courthouse Site

Future Development – Significant Parking Potential

The Lance Armstrong Bikeway along 3rd Street (south side of

site) is projected to be completed in 2016.

Every major CapMetro bus route through downtown, stops

at or near the site.

Pedestrian Priority Streets/Paths

Automobile Priority Streets

Bus Priority Streets

N

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Concept

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Development Analysis

Allowable Development Capacity is ~1.9 million square feet CFCH Building Concept is 520,000 square feet 4 levels of underground parking

N

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Courthouse Concept

14 stories 270-feet tall 520,000 gsf 4 level, underground

garage 513 parking spaces Secured Judicial

parking

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Courthouse Concept

Oriented to complement park Public views of park Flexible & efficient LEED Silver Site accommodates space for

future expansion office building

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Engagement with Republic Park

N

4th Street

Gu

adal

up

e

Great Streets Profile (18ft)

Covered Portico

Space for Cart Vendors

Drop Off AreaDisguised

Security Bollards

Benches and Bike Racks

Pedestrian Garage Access

1616

CFCH

Future Expansion Space

Great Streets Profile

Drop Off

Public EntryN

CFCH Project Site

Service and Vehicle

Entrances off San Antonio

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18-ft Floor to Floor Height Standardization- Courts can be accommodated on every floor

- Economies of scale & consistent template reduces construction cost

In-Custody Elevators- Accessible to all Court floors

- Increases flexibility for future needs

Building Designed to meet 2035 Needs- Building to accommodate present and known future

needs

Core and Shell Flexibilities

Higher Use Courts – Lower in Building- Focuses “Wear and Tear” to

specific areas

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Iterative & Open Approach- Departmental Forecasts

Reviewed & Refined

- Day-to-day functionality assessed & challenged

Judicial Forecast

- Statistical Trend Analysis

- Realistic and reasonable judicial needs identified

Space Program Efficiencies

Courts Offices and DepartmentsCivil Courts (Courtrooms and Judiciary)

Courts Admin

District and County Clerks

Domestic Relations

Office of Child Representation

Office of Parental Representation

Law Library and Self Help Center

Dispute Resolution and Mediation Spaces

Sheriff Transport and Staging

Building Support

Building Amenities (incl. Children’s waiting area)

IV D Associate Judge’s Courts

Probate Court

District Attorney and County Attorney work areas

KEY RESULTS Maintained overall building size while adding Probate Courts

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Program Budget

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Preliminary Program Budget

Program Total (Recommended Bond Amount)Includes - Construction Costs, Owner’s FF&E and Misc.

$ 291,600,000

Preliminary Program Budget

Budget predicated on November 2015 Bond Referendum

Estimated

impact of $42

on annual tax

billBased on a Travis County home with a 2015 assessed value of

$325,000

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Regional Courthouse Comparison

Given location and timing of construction,CFCH passes Test of Reasonableness.

South Atlantic$ 377

East North Central$ 353

Mid-Atlantic$ 353

Pacific$ 875

Mountain$ 360

West South Central$ 451

Travis County CFCH$ 447

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newtraviscountycourthouse.com

CFCHinfo@traviscountytx.gov

Project Contact Information