After four years of construction delays and a tense dispute
between the county and the builder that could raise the final price
tag by about $15 million, the South County Courthouse in Morgan
Hill will finally be open for business April 6.
Morgan Hill
After four years of construction delays and a tense dispute between the county and the builder that could raise the final price tag by about $15 million, the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill will finally be open for business April 6.
The new 73,000-square-foot facility at 301 Diana Ave. will be a “vast improvement” for court patrons and employees who have been housed in a complex of temporary trailers at the San Martin Courthouse on Monterey Road, according to Carl Schulhof of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Initially, the South County Courthouse will process criminal, civil, small claims and traffic cases for residents of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Martin and adjacent unincorporated areas.
Beginning May 4, the facility will also process Family Court cases.
Also, the new courthouse will have six courtrooms instead of only four as the San Martin facility has. And Schulhof noted the new building is designed for better security, as it features a separate hallway into the court area for inmates appearing for trial.
Supervisor Don Gage said the new courthouse will not only have plenty of space for patrons, court officials, attorneys, and jurors. He also noted its ample space for parking, as well as its proximity to downtown Morgan Hill and the CalTrain station on Depot Street will be convenient to court patrons, and an economic boon to downtown restaurants that could even attract more businesses such as attorney’s offices.
“And it’s a brand new facility that is going to serve the needs of South County residents for many years to come,” Gage said.
In November, city of Morgan Hill officials celebrated the completion of a “courthouse plaza” and walkway that will facilitate the movement of pedestrians between downtown and the new building.
Schulhof added that as of April 6, all operations at the San Martin Courthouse will cease, and that facility will close permanently. Until then, court services will continue at the San Martin site.
Construction on the courthouse began in 2004. For the first 18 months it was hampered by continuing rain delays.
Furthermore, a dispute among the county, contractor West Bay Builders, and numerous sub-contractors resulted in further delays. That dispute over which party is responsible for the mistakes and miscues that led to the delays, will go into mediation in May.
The contractor claims that the county owes the builders about $15 million, West Bay Builders president Paul Thompson has said.
The original cost of the courthouse, budgeted by the county, was $52 million.
Schulhof noted that the project resulted from a collaborative effort involving the Superior Court, the County of Santa Clara and the city of Morgan Hill, the latter of which provided the seven acres of land where the courthouse is.
