Thurston County to commit to new courthouse complex, but plans a $5.5M remodel in the meantime

Martín Bilbao / The Olympian (TNS)
Posted 1/14/25

Thurston County may spend up to $5.5 million to remodel its aging courthouse campus as a stop-gap measure while it pursues building an entirely new courthouse complex.

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Thurston County to commit to new courthouse complex, but plans a $5.5M remodel in the meantime

Posted

Thurston County may spend up to $5.5 million to remodel its aging courthouse campus as a stop-gap measure while it pursues building an entirely new courthouse complex.

The Board of County Commissioners supported a greatly-scaled-back remodel of its Olympia courthouse campus during a work session last week. As part of the discussion, the board also pushed forward a new proclamation that commits the county to building a new courthouse complex with "community trust."

A draft of the proclamation states the county will follow a "fiscally responsible, collaborative and transparent process." A final version of the proclamation will be presented during a Jan. 21 board meeting.

The presentation will occur nearly five months after the board decided to scrap already-started plans to remodel its courthouse campus on Lakeridge Drive. That plan would have cost up to $50 million and been financed with a bond. Doing away with that plan represented yet another significant pivot in the county's long-running efforts to meet its space and infrastructure needs.

County Manager Leonard Hernandez presented the board with options for the scaled-back remodeling of the current campus last week. This upgrade will provide the space and facilities the county needs until it can move into the new courthouse complex that's promised in the proclamation.

"Even though the physical life span of the building has passed its useful life, we want to extend the operational life span of the current courthouse complex for five, seven years to give us time to do an analysis," Hernandez said.

The cost for the stop-gap options ranged from $2.3 million to $4.4 million and included improvements of varying complexity related to paint, carpet, HVAC, wayfinding and duress buttons.

Assistant County Manager Joshua Cummings told the board that county staff arrived at those options after listening to stakeholders, primarily leaders of the offices and departments still situated at the courthouse campus.

County staff proposed roof improvements that would cost about $1 million as well. Stakeholders did not specifically ask for roof improvements, but Cummings said it would improve the "marketability" of the buildings should the county eventually try to sell them.

"I will say that the optics of the roof peeling creates a very distinct and demoralized situation because the buildings look dilapidated," Hernandez said.

The board ultimately supported the costlier option and roof improvements, which brought the total cost of renovations to about $5.5 million.

Cummings said the county will essentially hold a "stakeholder kick-off" on Jan. 21 with the proclamation. A news release is expected to follow the presentation, showing support from the county's law and justice leaders.

Yet, the remodel won't formally move ahead for months. Cummings said county staff will ask the board to approve a contract around March.

The county has yet to decide how or where it will eventually build a new courthouse complex. Hernandez said the county wants to release "some type of competitive process" to the community and developers before the end of the month.



Additionally, Hernandez said the county wants to create a community engagement strategy, most likely using an outside firm. However, he said that component has not been launched yet.

The county used to have its general government offices headquartered at its courthouse campus. The county moved those offices in 2022 to The Atrium building at 3000 Pacific Ave. SE.

The move to the Atrium allowed the county to temporarily meet some of its space needs after a previous courthouse plan fell through. In 2020, the county withdrew plans to build a $250 million courthouse and government office complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A seven-year lease will keep county offices at The Atrium through at least May 31, 2029, according to county documents. That means the county has until then to decide whether to extend the lease or find a new home for its general government offices.

The county previously wanted to remodel the courthouse campus into a law and justice center in a multi-staged approach so as to not completely disrupt court operations.

The board paused that remodel in June after commissioners expressed concerns about the cost of the county's plans and long-term logistics.

Commissioners subsequently formed a subcommittee that evaluated several potential options for a path forward, The Olympian previously reported.

The Jan. 21 presentation will be held in Room 110 of The Atrium at 3000 Pacific Ave. SE in Olympia.

Anyone can provide public comment by attending in-person or virtually using a Zoom link on the county's website. Written public comments may also be emailed to amy.davis@co.thurston.wa.us two hours before the meeting.

The meeting also will be livestreamed on the Thurston County YouTube Channel.

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