Fairfield County Municipal Court is set for a change of scene when it moves to the Columbian Building, a block from the current site but in a very different setting.
At present, the court is located on Lancaster's Main Street, where it operates in cramped quarters that often force court employees, visitors, and prisoners to share the same space.
The historic Columbian Building dates back to the 1800s, and is currently undergoing renovations to make it suitable to house the court. Current plans are to make the move in September 2015.
The building will house courtrooms and judges' chambers, as well as the city prosecutor, clerk of court, probation department, and administrative offices. Although there are currently only two municipal court judges, room has been left for a third.
The renovation, which costs approximately $9.2m, is paid for by a bond issue. In order to pay for the refurbishing and move, judges upped fees by $10 for each case, and earmarked the resulting monies collected as part of the special projects fund for the court.
The cost includes the price of the building itself; the city bought the Columbian in 2012 for $450,000.
City officials could work with a banner printing company to create a huge outdoor notice to hang above the doorway to mark the official opening of the building.
Location
135 N. Columbus St.
Lancaster, OH 43130
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Hours
Mon: 9:00 - 4:00
Tue: 9:00 - 4:00
Wed: 9:00 - 4:00
Thu: 9:00 - 4:00
Fri: 9:00 - 4:00
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed