With the current Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse on State Street in downtown Springfield in need of replacement, the process of identifying its location continued with a virtual public hearing on Jan. 2 at which a timeline and plan were proposed.
Reminder Publishing file photo
SPRINGFIELD — A lease for a new Hampden County courthouse in Springfield could be executed in 2026 based on a timeline and proposal put forth by the Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Court.
The Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance hosted a virtual public hearing on Jan. 2 during which plans and a timeline were proposed by the Trial Court for when they hope a location for the city’s new Springfield Regional Justice Center will be procured.
The current Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse has experienced a long history of poor health conditions, including an accumulation of mold and dust that has led to respiratory and fatigue problems for those who work in the building.
Currently, the Massachusetts Trial Court is seeking approval to build a 330,000-square-foot complex it will lease in Springfield for an initial term of 40 years and a maximum term of 60 years, according to Peter Woodford, the senior project manager for DCAMM who was assigned to work with the Massachusetts Trial Court on the project.
The proposed justice center would house administrative, retention and court service spaces, Woodford said during the hearing.
The commonwealth owns the two existing courthouses in Springfield totaling just under 300,000 square feet: the Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse at 50 State St., and an adjacent facility at 80 State St., which houses Springfield Juvenile.
The Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse is 50 years old and is the second busiest courthouse in the state with approximately 1,600 visitors a day, according to the city.
Woodford indicated the new Regional Justice Center will replace both of those existing courthouses.
The presentation from Woodford during the Jan. 2 meeting depicted a tentative timeline for when tasks will be completed. According to that timeline, the Asset Management Board is expected to approve or disapprove the Trial Court’s leasing proposal during the first quarter of this year, and a request for proposals process is expected to begin in the second quarter of this year if the proposal is approved.
The timeline also included a tentative execution of a lease for the new complex by the second quarter of 2026.
In a statement about this project proposal, Thomas Ambrosino, the court administrator of the executive office of the Trial Court administration, said that the Trial Court is in full support of the state leasing the new justice center because that process avoids a “financially-constrained capital plan.”
“This has been one of my highest priorities; to get a regional justice center built in the city of Springfield to replace two outdated locations where we operate our five court departments in Springfield,” said Thomas Ambrosino, the court administrator of the executive office of the Trial Court administration.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno expressed his support for the proposed leasing of the new justice center. He noted the “serious context” from which this new proposal originated. He mentioned how five people who worked in the current courthouse have died from ALS and 60 cases of cancer were linked to people working in the building.
“I lend my full support to this project proposal, and I strongly encourage the Asset Management Board to approve it so DCAMM, in cooperation with the Trial Court, can commence with this much-needed project,” Sarno said during the hearing.
City Councilor Victor Davila was also in attendance at the virtual meeting and emphasized the importance of making sure traffic is considered when building this new courthouse.
“My main thought here, I’m hoping that this was already taken into consideration, is the impact traffic is going to have in whatever area is chosen to build a new courthouse,” Davila said.
According to the state, potential locations for the new site will be discussed at a later date. If the state chooses a locaation outside of the courthouse’s existing location, a temporary relocation of the current courthouse will not be necessary, according to DCAMM.
Another public hearing was scheduled for Jan. 7. in person at the Springfield State Office Building. The public comment period for this process closes on Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. Comments may be submitted to kendra.howes@mass.gov.
