Warren ― A state lawmaker is asking for $10 million to help the 37th District Court in Warren replace its aging building, a project that a court official said is estimated to cost at least $80 million.
Yellow, aging stadium-style chairs make up the audience section of the courthouse’s four courtrooms, most of which are too small, officials say. The building’s lobby has cracked tile floors.
Annette Gattari-Ross, court administrator/magistrate for the 37th District Court, said an architecture firm declared the building, built on Common Road in 1972, to be “physically and functionally and operationally obsolete.” The city of Warren plans to replace it, and is considering two possible locations for the new building: the current site and a site just to the south.
State Rep. Ron Robinson, a Utica Republican, is advocating for $10 million to be included in the upcoming state budget, which starts Oct. 1, for the courthouse project. Robinson’s office said that courtrooms should be between 1,600 and 1,700 square feet under State Court Administrative Office standards, but most of the courtrooms in Warren are around 1,100 square feet.
“To this point, there hasn’t been any safety issues, but … that’s always a concern,” Robinson said.
Warren’s 37th District Court is one of the busiest district courts in Michigan. But most of its courtrooms only accommodate 40-45 people, according to Gattari-Ross and Robinson’s office. Courtrooms should have seating for approximately 80 people under SCAO standards.
Gattari-Ross said because the courtrooms are too small, people sometimes line up outside of a courtroom while waiting to check in for a case. Other times, there isn’t enough seating in the courtroom for everyone who wants to watch a case.
“There’s insufficient space for attorney-client meetings,” Warren City Council Secretary Mindy Moore said of the courthouse. “There’s ADA accessibility issues. The HVAC system is constantly giving us problems.”
Gattari-Ross said the SCAO also recommended that the court add at least one more judge. She said the court has “the caseload for another judge.”
The $10 million in state funding would only pay for a portion of the project cost. Gattari-Ross said the city of Warren will pay for the rest of it.
Moore said the 37th District Court has about $13 million in its building fund, which will go towards the project. The city is also considering using opioid settlement funds to help pay for the project, as the courthouse has a drug court. The project will also be financed through municipal bonds, Moore said.
“We do appreciate everybody’s support,” Gattari-Ross said, “and we’re excited to move forward, and we feel that … we’re moving in a very positive direction.”
asnabes@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Warren seeking state funding to help replace aging 37th District Court
Reporting by Anne Snabes, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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