An artist’s rendering released by the Judicial Council of California shows the proposed new Downtown Fresno courthouse.
California court officials announced the launch of an environmental impact report on the $750 million proposed courthouse for Downtown Fresno.
The Judicial Council of California will host a community meeting inviting feedback on the project on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fresno Courthouse jury assembly room.
The 11-story building would be built on a 2.09-acre parcel and include 36 courtrooms and a total of 413,000 square feet of space.
The Judicial Council’s preferred site is located a stone’s throw north of the existing Fresno County Courthouse, and would involve the demolition of the existing sheriff headquarters and south annex jail building.
A secondary site would be located on open space in courthouse park near the corner of Fresno Street and Van Ness Avenue. A third option is a vacant parcel at the corner of Fresno and M streets just east of the Fresno County Jail.
The Judicial Council of California approved the replacement of the nearly 60-year-old main Downtown Fresno courthouse in 2023. It includes more than $42 million in deferred maintenance liabilities.
The new courthouse will also replace the North Annex Jail and M Street Courthouse, which is leased.
The project is currently in the acquisition phase. Construction is estimated to begin in November 2028 and complete in November 2031.
The project will be delivered through a design-build process.
“The Judicial Council, acting as the Judicial Branch of State government, is not subject to local land use regulations; however, the Judicial Council, as appropriate, considers local policies in evaluating whether the proposed Project’s impacts would be significant,” according to a notice of preparation for a draft EIR.