The Franklin County Municipal Court hosted a tour Thursday to show the state of its current building.
The tour comes after the Franklin County Municipal Court released a statement Wednesday morning criticizing Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther’s decision to end plans to construct a new court building.
The statement listed structural, safety, security and other concerns as reasons to construct a new court building, instead of focusing on renovations.
Administrative and Presiding Judge Jessica D’Varga said it would take eight years of renovations to have a “habitable condition” for the staff and public who rely on the court.
“The court's ask is simple: safe and habitable conditions for the people who work in and visit this building, and full transparency with the public about what that will take. The court looks forward to meeting with the city regarding a proposed plan to address these issues and is hopeful that we can collaborate to ensure that this work serves the public,” D’Varga said.
There has been a lack of maintenance over the last several years, D’Varga said, since staff were expecting a new building, so general maintenance has not been maintained. Court officials stated they believe it will cost far more to renovate structural issues like foundation, HVAC, pipe systems, security and elevators than to build a new building.
In the basement, Chief Environmental Specialist Adam Sears showed an unsecured door where inmates are brought into the building, which city employees work right next to. In the neighboring holding cells, Sears said water poured “down in buckets” through the cell's door motors Wednesday, which he said is typical during heavy rainfall.
Water damage stains on the walls, ceiling tiles and overhead lights, exposed wires and uncovered outlets were visible throughout the basement. Additionally, a dead mouse and surrounding holes in the walls showed signs of a mice infestation.
On the loading dock, which sees transported inmates, the gate is unable to close. The court now relocates a designated officer to watch the not secure area. Sears said the inoperable doors on the dock raises concerns of inmates escaping custody. On the concrete walls of the loading dock a crack in the foundation and exposed rebar are visible.
In all 26 courtrooms, vents in staff and public areas showed what Sears identified as suspected mold. Extension cords are patched together to power the daily proceedings of the staff.
Above, fire suppression sprinklers were coated with dust build up and have been in place since the building's construction 47 years ago. Sears explained the sprinklers are no longer made, so replacement parts must come from secondhand marketplaces.
The bathrooms on the fourth floor have large holes near the toilets where broken tiles and deteriorating exposed walls are visible. The building lacks ADA compliant bathrooms, so people with mobility issues would have to travel to other compliant buildings.
On the top floor, fire suppression coating has chipped away from persistent leaks in the ceiling. The maintenance office on the floor lacks fire sprinklers, which according to Sears, could overwhelm the building’s fire suppression system if caught on fire. Persistent cracks in the concrete floor are noticeable. Finally, on the roof two window-washing motorized platforms are inoperable due to rust and other weather damage.
Ginter said the city will be investing $260 million to upgrade the court building. He said an additional $75 million will be allocated to other community organizations.
“When I talk to people, they want more police substations. They want better fire stations for our firefighters. They want more fire apparatus. They want more rec centers and public health centers, and this will allow us to do all of those things. And so, we think it's the right decision,” Ginther said.
On Aug. 7, the City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services conducted an interior inspection where they assessed all areas in the Franklin County Municipal Court tour. They found no “severe unsafe conditions or serious hazard regarding the overall structural integrity or [Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing] components of the building at this time.”
