“We’re honoring it, we’re updating all the facilities existing here, bringing them up to courthouse and judicial standards that they could be used for full accessibility and just so that the building continues to be honored and kind of live into the future and expand its life,” Glasson said. Glasson emphasized the importance of paying tribute to the circa 1850s “historic courthouse,” while modernizing its chambers and courtrooms. While county officials attended a July 11 Norristown Planning Commission meeting, “there was no quorum.”Īlong with Bonner, David Hahn, Montgomery County’s capital projects and programs director, as well as Peter Glasson, Skidmore Owings & Merrill’s lead designer for the justice center project walked Norristown Municipal Council members through a comprehensive presentation showcasing plans for the space. 28, according to the work session agenda packet.Ī few months later, county representatives were given approval “for outstanding zoning items” on June 23, according to the agenda packet. 24, and Pennoni, an engineering and consulting firm, “issued a review letter” on Feb. 9, 2019, and the municipality’s Design Review Board endorsed “the proposed design elements” during a Historical Architectural Review Board and Design Review Board meeting.Ĭounty officials then sent in an application for the final land development on Jan. Renovations were also proposed for the current courthouse and annex and Hancock Square.Įarlier that year, the county’s Planning Commission submitted a review letter on Dec. On Tuesday, Bonner estimated that the Montgomery County Justice Center project would cost roughly $415 million, which is “inclusive … over six years.”Ĭounty officials wanted to then build a 288,365-gross-square-foot justice center, an underground parking garage complete with 75 spaces “with ingress/egress along Main Street” as well as constructing landscaping areas, retaining walls, memorial areas, and lighting, according to the Aug. “This is a half a billion dollar project, and for transparency reasons, if they wanted to give a presentation tonight, then it should have been on the agenda so that our community could have tuned in for the presentation as well to weigh in to us,” said Councilman Thomas Lepera during the Aug. While Municipal Administrator Crandall Jones stressed borough staff had been advocating for local interests, Norristown leaders needed a more comprehensive update before giving the all clear to project organizers. The procedural matter had been an item on the agenda for the Aug. “The design that you see before you … has been three years in the making and certainly across the board Norristown is an involved and committed stakeholder, and has been that way from the beginning and we’re certainly proud to partner with you and them as we move forward,” said Thomas Bonner, director of Montgomery County’s Assets and Infrastructure Department. Representatives from Montgomery County and Skidmore Owings & Merrill were present during Tuesday night’s council meeting where they gave a presentation and entertained questions and comments from elected officials. NORRISTOWN – After getting caught up to speed on the Montgomery County Justice Center project’s progress, members of the Norristown Municipal Council gave their blessing by approving a resolution for land development, Thursday.
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