Cabarrus Courthouse expansion project moving forward
Messer Construction, which recently completed work on the County’s five-story parking deck in downtown Concord, will collaborate with Silling Architects during the design phase of the Cabarrus Courthouse expansion project.
Messer is working with Silling – hired by Cabarrus County commissioners in February - to provide opinions on constructability during the design, which will help drive down construction contingencies, and in turn costs, according to Cabarrus County Area Manager Kyle Bilafer. Messer’s role at this stage is referred to as construction manager at-risk.
The design phase is underway, but actual construction on the 250,000-square-foot expansion is slated to begin in 2020. Following the expansion, the existing courthouse will undergo renovation. Officials expect the entire project will last between 24 and 28 months.
The expansion/renovation will update the aging 45-year-old building and help with an ongoing increase in local court use.
According to the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), use of the Cabarrus County Courthouse increased 131 percent over the last three decades. Court filings in 1986/87 totaled 27,506. By 2016/17, that number rose to 63,567.
The expansion/renovation project includes a proposal to relocate the courthouse entrance to Means Avenue, creating enhanced access from Church and Union streets.
City of Concord to weigh abandonment of Means Avenue
The plan also calls for the new building footprint to extend into Means Avenue, a one-way street that connects Union and Church streets in downtown Concord.
County officials developed a petition to the City of Concord to abandon Means, and replace a portion of it with a public plaza, Bilafer said. Concord City Council will hold a public hearing on the petition during the Thursday (April 11) meeting. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at 35 Cabarrus Ave. W, Concord.
County officials will continue providing updates through meetings and online communication channels. Visit the website at www.cabarruscounty.us and follow Cabarrus County at facebook.com/cabarruscounty and on Twitter @CabarrusCounty. Look for #CabarrusCourthouse.
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