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Brown County Indiana Courthouse Study, Recommendations and Conceptual Design November 2012 Architectural Design Studio, Inc. PO Box 458 Nashville, Indiana 47448 [PHONE REDACTED] www.adsinc-in.com ---PAGE BREAK--- BROWN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JOHN KENNARD MARY FOUCH - OUTGOING DARRELL L. KENT - OUTGOING JOE WRAY - INCOMING DAVE ANDERSON - INCOMING BROWN COUNTY AUDITOR GLENDA STOGSDILL BROWN COUNTY COUNCIL DAVID CRITSER DAVID RUDD JERRY PITMAN STEVE GORE JUDY SWIFT JIM MILNES ART KNIGHT ---PAGE BREAK--- Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 3" Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction Courthouse History Building Overview Building Façade Windows Roof Energy Performance Building Security Code Compliance Existing Building Plans Site Plan Basement Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan North and South Elevations West Elevation East Elevation Current Space Utilization County Clerk’s Office Probation Office Community Corrections County Prosecutor Brown County Circuit Court Design Issues / Options / Recommendations Brown County Clerk Brown County probation Community Corrections Brown County Prosecutor Brown County Circuit Court Options Recommendation ---PAGE BREAK--- Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 4" New Building Program Conceptual Design Site Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan Alternate Basement Plan South Elevation North Elevation East Elevation West Elevation Building Perspective View From Southwest Plaza Perspective View From Southeast Estimate of Probable Cost Appendix A - Building Department Heads Interviews/Meeting Minutes Appendix B – Building Department Bubble Diagrams/Matrix ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 1" Executive Summary The County Courthouse is currently located in the town square and houses the Brown County Circuit Court, the Clerk’s Office and the Probation Department. The Prosecutor’s Office is currently located across the parking lot east of the Courthouse and south of the old jail. Community Corrections was recently relocated to the lower level of the veterans building at Deer Run Park. This report summarizes my review of the existing buildings and the relationships between the various departments, including on-site interviews with the building users, that together compose the Justice Center for Brown County. Several areas of concern were noted, including a general compliance with ADA accessibility requirements, totally inadequate security, poorly planned space for current staff and a lack of space for current and future expansion needs, off-site record storage requiring staff to make multiple trips daily to the county jail where the records are currently stored creating unnecessary liability for the County and inefficient use of staff, lack of a functional arrangement of spaces necessitating traffic through adjacent spaces and inadequate parking. In general, there is simply not enough space in the current courthouse for a properly functioning Court. Any solution to the problems will require additional space. There are two options available to correct the situation. Option One: Construct a new Courthouse on a new site. Option Two: Construct a new addition to the existing Courthouse and renovate the existing space. The appeal of Option One is that the current spaces could be used in their current state until the new space is constructed, shortening the total construction schedule. Option One has several drawbacks. First is acquiring new property in a suitable location. The Brown County Courthouse is currently located in the center of Nashville, the county seat. Historically, the Courthouses occupy a prominent location in the community, creating an appropriate hierarchy that gives an appropriate status to the importance of the Courthouse in the daily functioning of county governance. Given the location of the County Annex Building, and the lack of a suitable site, the opportunity to establish the proper hierarchy would be lost with a new site. Second, the cost would be higher for this option due to the cost of the new site, and the cost of constructing the equivalent space available today in the existing Courthouse. Third is the issue of the disposition of the existing Courthouse if another is constructed. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 2" Option Two is more appealing for several reasons. First, it is less costly. A new site would entail the cost of the site and perhaps new infrastructure; and it is less costly to renovate space than to construct the same space new. Second, an addition to the existing Courthouse makes use of the existing assets and maintains the prominent location of the Courthouse within the community. One disadvantage of Option Two is the staging of construction. The new addition must be constructed first, then current offices must be relocated into the newly constructed space, freeing up space in the existing building that could then be renovated, and then spaces shifted into the newly renovated space. This process will have the effect of lengthening the construction schedule. After reviewing the building and interviewing department directors, the Circuit Court Judge and Magistrate, ADS Architects recommends that: With the exception of Community Corrections, combine the various court agencies into a single building by means of a two story addition to the existing courthouse that compliments the current building design, (Option Two); That the record storage be relocated within the Courthouse; That the existing Courthouse space be renovated as necessary to accommodate new uses and required space modifications; Develop a building program and construction sequencing plan to construct the addition and renovate the existing building so as to cause as little disruption as possible to the functioning of the Courts and the related agencies; Improve the building security and provide proper separation between the public, inmates, judges and jurors; Design the building to be ADA accessible; Design and construct the new addition to exceed the current energy codes to reduce operating costs; Correct the design issues outlined above; Reduce the amount of “Hardscape” around the building and create more green space and create a public plaza on the east side of the building. 10.) Remove the existing prosecutor’s office and increase the parking; 11.) Change the window pattern to match the original historic window pattern. 12.) Consider changing the roof to a standing seam metal roof as an alternative; 13.) Consider adding a basement under the addition for future growth or parking. Adding parking in the basement would provide enough parking for Jurors (14 spaces). The ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 3" balance of the space could be used for storage. If parking for Jurors is added, another elevator should be added to transport Jurors from the parking level to the jury room. These recommendations will create a more functional arrangement increasing staff efficiency, provide room for current and future expansion, increase the energy performance of the building envelope thereby reducing the resulting building operational costs, provide the necessary building security and the proper separation between the prosecutor, court staff and jurors. It will also reduce County liability by eliminating the daily multiple trips to the jail to retrieve Court records, provide ready access to the clerks office and other officials of the Court and make provision for early and absentee voting. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 4" Introduction In October of 2011, Architectural Design Studio, Inc. (ADS) was retained to prepare a study of the current courthouse building systems and space utilization and to develop a plan and cost estimate to address any deficiencies found. Ameresco had already been contracted to prepare a study of the building mechanical and electrical systems and to make recommendations for reducing the energy consumption of the mechanical and electrical systems with the goal of reducing the current operating costs of courthouse building. The purpose of this study is to identify current problems that create staff inefficiencies; identify building systems problems that need immediate attention; and to develop a building program and concept that addresses and corrects current space allocation, location, code and security issues. Study Process The findings of this study are based on interviews with the following: Judge Judith Stewart and Magistrate Douglas Van Winkle; Beth Mulrey, Clerk and Benita Fox, Deputy Clerk; Jennifer Acton, Director of Brown County Probation, Barbara Osborn, Director of Community Corrections; and James Oliver, Brown County Prosecuting Attorney, (Refer to appendix A for interview meeting minutes). Following these discussions, bubble diagrams were developed to graphically represent the space allocation of each department and how each department relates to the other, (refer to appendix From these discussions a Building Program was developed that indicates the space needs of each department. The Building Program corrects deficiencies and inefficiencies in the current building. A special thanks to the Brown County Historical Society for permitting access to their record archives. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 5" Courthouse History " The original courthouse and jail was erected in 1837 of hewed logs by David Weddle. The structure was 18’ x 24’, two stories high with a stairway at each end, one room on the lower floor and two rooms on the upper floor. Two twelve lite windows provided light and air to the upper rooms and one twelve lite window opposite the doorway provided air and light to the lower level. A fireplace in each room provided heat. The cost of the first courthouse and jail was $700. The courthouse was used until 1853, when it was replaced by a brick structure. The original log structure was sold and repurposed as a stable for half a century. The second courthouse was built in 1855 by Silvans Manville & Thomas M. Adams according to William E. Hogueland.at a cost of $7000. The second courthouse stood until it caught fire on Monday, November 3, 1873. Many of the records in the courthouse were lost. The cause of the fire was undetermined, however some thought it was intentionally set. There were several rumors floated in the day suggesting that the fire was deliberately set to cover embezzlement of county funds, or to cover delinquent taxes. The third and current courthouse was erected on the same foundation of the second courthouse, incorporating one wall that was still standing. Construction began in 1874 and it was completed in 1875 or 1877 at a cost of $7500. An annex was added to the current courthouse in 1939. The annex was designed by McGuire & Shook, Architects, Indianapolis. In 1992, the current courthouse was renovated. The renovation was designed by Miller Architects, Nashville, and constructed by Waltman Construction. Figure 1 Courthouse in 1908 (Photo courtesy of Brown County Historical Society) ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 6" Building Overview " The current courthouse is located in the center of Nashville, Indiana at the northeast corner of Main and Van Buren streets. Nashville is the county seat of Brown County, Indiana, with a population of approximately 15,000." " " Building Facade The courthouse façade features a series of recessed brick panels creating a of brick pilasters. The brick is laid in a Flemish bond with regional sandstone sills and lintels. A few of the window sills and lintels are cracked and in need of repair. The brick used on the annex does not match the brick used on the original courthouse structure. The brick mortar on the original courthouse is in need of repointing. Due to the nature of the wall construction, sealing the brick is not recommended. Windows The existing wood jambs, heads and sills have been covered with white brake metal aluminum covers. Replacement sashes have been installed with storm windows. Sash is one over one with taller windows on the second floor. The windows leak air profusely and should be replaced with new aluminum clad wood windows with a high quality glazing to improve the energy performance and eliminate cold drafts from air infiltration through the windows. Windows should be replaced with four over four sash on the second floor and two over two sash on the first floor to match the original design. Nashville Brown County State Park Columbus Bloomington Site 46 135 46 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 7" Roof The roof is covered with fiberglass asphaltic shingles. The shingles were installed in 1992 and have reached the end of their useful service life. Option A is to replace the existing asphalt shingles with a high quality dimensional fiberglass shingle installed over roofing felt and ice and water shield in appropriate locations. Option B is to install a new standing seam metal roof. The roof deck should be inspected during the replacement to determine if there is any damaged roof sheathing in need of replacement. The soffit is perforated metal and appears to be in good condition. Gutters and downspouts appear to be in good condition. The cupola is clad in wood lap siding that is deteriorated and should be replaced. The replacement should be a wood/fiber cement lap siding with composite trim detailed to match the existing. The wood/fiber cement siding has a much longer service life and is not susceptible to rot. The cupola roof is covered with a low slope galvanized metal roof. A copper roof over the cupola would be more appropriate and give a longer service life. The gutter boards should be inspected at the time of roof replacement for damage to the fascia and gutter boards. The metal roof edging strips should be replaced with the roofing. Energy Performance The building insulation is very minimal by today’s standards. Two inch rigid insulation and metal furring was added to the exterior walls during the 1992 renovation . There is extensive wood blocking around the window openings to provide nailers for the wide window trim that further diminishes the energy performance of the wall adjacent to the windows. While air infiltration is generally the major component in a building shells heat loss, it is recommended to increase the exterior wall insulation to reduce heat loss through the walls. New windows should be properly sealed and flashed to the surrounding masonry in order to reduce air and water infiltration. All of the mechanical heating and cooling ductwork should be located within the conditioned space, i.e., within the insulated building envelope that is heated or cooled in order to eliminate duct heat losses into any unheated environments. The ductwork will need to be reworked or replaced to accommodate the new space plan. The ductwork should be sealed to eliminate as much heat loss as possible through the ductwork joints and transitions. The duct losses should be held to 3% maximum and performance should be confirmed by testing after installation via a duct blaster test to verify duct leakage is within the stated range. Building Security There are a number of security issues in the courthouse. There is no way to bring juvenile offenders into the courthouse without divulging their identities. There is no provision for providing separation between jail inmates and the court staff and public as they are transferred to the court for hearing or trial. There is ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 8" a lack of a sally port to securely transfer jail inmates from the deputies vehicle to the courthouse. There is no provision to securely get the judge into the building separate from the public and jail inmates. There is currently no secured access to the Court suite. Anyone can walk up the back stairs and enter into the court offices. There is provision for weapons screening at the main entry to the courtroom, but the unit has never been connected. There is no building security. Currently, visitors to the county are dropped off by the busload at the courthouse to use the public restrooms located on the main floor. There is no secure entry at the probation office. Again, anyone from the public can walk right into the probation office and into the director’s office. Several of these issues cannot be corrected within the confines of the current building configuration. Code Compliance The existing building is of type 5A construction and B and A-3 occupancy per the IBC, (International Building Code adopted by the State of Indiana). It has separation on four sides (three sides after an addition is constructed). Table 503 permits a total allowable area of 11,500 square feet per floor for this type and building use, without taking any credits for area increases that may be available for sprinklering the building or building separation. The total square footage of the building with the addition is 12,960 square feet per floor. With the permitted increases for location on the property and possible increases for installing a sprinkler system, the necessary area is achievable. If the basement option is accepted, a fire separation wall between the new addition and existing building may be required. Building Accessibility The only accessible entrance is on the south side of the building. There is an elevator near this entry to access the second floor. However, only a portion of the second floor is accessible. The second floor of the annex is raised approximately 15” above the second floor level of the original building, which creates access issues for jurors and means there is only one useable exit for anyone with mobility issues. There are no accessible Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant public restrooms on either floor. Unlike the building code, the ADA is administered by the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The building is generally in need of updating to bring it into compliance with the current ADA requirements. Fire Protection This building may require the addition of a sprinkler system complying with NFPA 13 if major renovations are performed. Section 903.2.1.3, of the IBC, requires a sprinkler system for A-3 occupancies where the fire floor is on a floor other than the level of exit discharge. If adequate water pressure and flow is not available at the site, a variance may be sought, but would require other enhancements to the building construction as “trade-offs”. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 9" Exits Each floor will require a minimum of two properly located legal exits located on an accessible path. The proposed design offers three legal exits in the form of stairways on each floor, two of which exit directly to the exterior. Doors generally must swing in the direction of egress, and have a minimum clearance of 32” between the door in the open position and the door jamb stop. Total door exit width will be determined by the exit width calculations. Door hardware must be lever type. Proper space to the side of the strike side of the door must be allocated for wheelchair accessibility. While elevators are not required for a building less than three stories high, it is recommended that an elevator be provided for public access to the second floor and that an elevator from the sally port to the offender holding area be installed. The existing elevator will be removed in the proposed design. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 10 EXISTING BUILDING PLANS ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 11 NORTH SCALE: 1/8"=1’-0" P.P. L.P. TREE L.P. TREE TREE USGS BENCH MARK STORM SEWER PLANTER/ WAR MEM. BRICK PAVERS L.P. L.P. L.P. CATCH BASIN TREE TREE L.P. TREE TREE CATCH BASIN BRICK PAVERS P.P. TREE TREE TREE P.P. TREE TREE TREE HAND PUMP CO. TREE TREE TREE M.H. CONC. SIDEWALK CONC. SIDEWALK CONC. SIDEWALK CO. HAND PUMP BRICK PAVERS TREE P.P. M.H. SIGNAL POLE STORM SEWER 136’ P.L. 238’ P.L. EXISTING COURTHOUSE ALLEY EXISTING SITE PLAN ST. RD. 135 N. (VAN BUREN STREET) MAIN STREET ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 12 NORTH SCALE: 1/8"=1’-0" EXISTING BASEMENT PLAN UP L.P. PHONE BD. DEH. ELECT. HEATER ELECT. EQUIP. ON CONC. PAD W.H. S.P. STAIRS CLOSET ELEVATOR EQUIP. FILE STORAGE GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 13 NORTH SCALE: 1/8"=1’-0" EXISTING FIRST FLOOR PLAN UP VENDING UP DN STAIRS WOMEN EMPLOYEE RR. VAULT JANITOR STORAGE PROBATION OFFICER MEN OFFICE OFFICE FILES PROBATION OFFICE ELEVATOR STOR. STAIRS COUNTY CLERK OFFICE FILES STOR. BREAK ROOM GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 14 SCALE: 1/8"=1’-0" NORTH DN UP UP UP UP UP DN DN BAILIFF DN STORAGE STAIRS STORAGE WOMEN MEN JUDGES OFFICE COURT SECRETARY JURY ROOM COURTROOM STAIRS LIBRARY ELEVATOR MECH. ATTORNEY/ CLIENT CONF. HEARING ROOM MAGISTRATE EXISTING SECOND FLOOR PLAN GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 15 EXISTING SOUTH ELEVATION EXISTING NORTH ELEVATION GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 16 EXISTING WEST ELEVATION GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 17 EXISTING EAST ELEVATION GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 18 Current Space Utilization " Clerks Office The County Clerk is Beth Mulrey. The Clerk’s office is located on the first floor, on the east side of the building across the hall from probation. The Clerk is responsible for maintaining and securing the records of the Court. In addition, the Clerk is responsible for absentee voting every two years, voting registration, voting records and storing voting machines between election cycles. The current space consists of a very small enclosed office for the Clerk, a small open office for the Deputy Clerk, a small open office for the Records Administrator, an open office area for the Clerk’s staff, a reception counter for the public and record storage scattered throughout the space. A small records storage vault is located at the north end of the corridor. In addition, a large 20’ x 32’ records storage system is located off-site in the basement of the County Jail. " " " " " " " The Clerk’s office interacts daily with the Brown County Circuit Court and Probation, handling the Court records and payments made through the probation department. It interacts less frequently with Community Corrections and the Prosecutor’s office since they maintain their own records. NORTH UP VENDING WOMEN EMPLOYEE RR. VAULT JANITOR STORAGE ELEVATOR STOR. STAIRS COUNTY CLERK OFFICE FILES STOR. GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 OFFICE & CLERK’S COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 19 Space Requirements There are a number of deficiencies in the layout and location of the County Clerk’s office. 1. Office of the Clerk is too small. Clerk’s office needs enough space for a desk, credenza and small conference table to meet with staff members and members of the public. 2. Deputy Clerk needs an enclosed office. 3. Public reception counter needs to be larger and divided to allow confidential conversations between members of the Clerk’s staff and the public. 4. Public access to the Clerk’s office needs to be more secure. 5. Need a conference room with seating for up to twelve people. 6. Need an employee break room. This could be shared with other building staff. 7. Need larger work stations for clerk staff. 8. Need a separate space for absentee voting and voter registration. This space will be required every two years. 9. Need storage space for voting machines, preferably close to the absentee voting space. 10. Need to locate the record storage system currently located in the basement of the County Jail so it is readily accessed by the Clerk’s office and the courts. 11. The most efficient location for the Clerk’s office is on the main level due to the need for public access to the Clerk’s office. 12. A documents examination area for members of the public. Probation Office The Director of Brown County Probation is Jennifer Acton. Probation is currently located on the first floor on the west side of the building across the hall from the Clerk’s office. The Probation department is responsible for monitoring those offenders sentenced to probation by the Court. As such, there are frequent meetings between the Probation staff with those on probation, and juvenile offenders and members of their families. The current probation department consists of a small enclosed office for the Director, a small enclosed office for the Juvenile Officer, an unsecured public reception counter, a receptionist and two interns at the reception area, a small records storage area and a combination break room/conference room. The Probation department works closely with the Court, Clerk, County Jail and Prosecutor’s office in that order. They have less frequent interaction with community corrections. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 20 Space Requirements There are a number of deficiencies in the layout of the probation department 1. The probation office needs another enclosed office for an additional Probation Officer. The offices all need to be larger than their current dimensions to allow meeting with offenders and their families. 2. Need a separate break room with a sink. This could be shared with other building staff. 3. Need a conference room to seat twelve people. 4. Need to secure the front reception counter and space to limit public access to the reception area. 5. Need a drug testing area with rest room. Community Corrections The director of Community Corrections is Barbara Osborn. Community Corrections was recently relocated to new offices in the lower level of the Veterans buildings at Deer Run Park. The new space resolves issues present with the previous space located on the second floor of the Professional Building. NORTH VENDING JANITOR PROBATION OFFICER OFFICE OFFICE FILES PROBATION OFFICE ELEVATOR BREAK ROOM GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 PROBATION OFFICE ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 21 Community Corrections currently has a receptionist/office manager, a small enclosed Director’s office, a small Field Officer office and a small Service Coordinators office. The Service Coordinator and Field Officer are also Case Managers. They along with the Director are out of the office and on the road frequently, visiting clients in surrounding counties and Marion County. The offices require good sound control due to the confidential nature of the meetings taking place in the offices. The employees of Community Corrections are county employees, but the department is funded by State grants. The State has recently initiated scoring criteria by which each County’s department of Community Corrections is measured and scored, in order to continue to receive State funding. The stated goals of Community Corrections is to provide offender accountability, deliver rehabilitation services and surveillance, and to achieve fiscal responsibility. Community Corrections are non-prison sanctions imposed on convicted adults or adjudicated juveniles by the court in lieu of a prison sentence, with the goal of rehabilitating offenders at a reduced cost to the State. Community Corrections also receives referrals from the County Prosecutor. Community Corrections consists of the following programs: 1. Work Release 2. House Arrest 3. Day Reporting 4. Community Service 5. Classroom Instruction 6. Drug Testing 7. Risk Needs Assessment The Work Release program consists of two levels. Level one deals with unemployed inmates. Level two deals with employed inmates. The use of objective risk needs assessment allows correctional agencies to assign offenders to the programs that will most likely benefit them. Community Corrections does not interact frequently with the other offices of the Court. They pick up orders from the Court in a mail slot at the Court and have minimal interaction with Probation. Community Corrections has on average of 10 visitors per day. Once an offender completes their sentence with Community Corrections responsibility for them is transferred to Probation. Community Corrections pick up County Jail inmates for work release programs and class instruction. Community Corrections maintains and are responsible for their own long term and current files. Files are stored on site in offices and a small storage closet and are maintained separately from the Court, Probation and Prosecutors files. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 22 Space Requirements 1. Need space for a classroom/meeting room. 2. Need a secure reception area. 3. Need a separate bathroom for drug testing and a refrigerator for specimen storage. 4. Parking is a problem. When Caseworkers are away, their parking spaces are taken. In addition, Community Corrections needs parking space for a van and trailer used for the work release program. 5. Need a record storage vault or secured fire-proof file cabinets for record storage. While the current location is remote from the courthouse, Community Corrections has little interaction with the other offices of the courts. Due to the limited interaction and the amount of space available for an addition to the courthouse, it is recommended that the Community Corrections Offices remain in their current location. County Prosecutor The county prosecutor is James Oliver. The Prosecutor’s office is currently located to the east of the courthouse, south of the old jail. The Prosecutor’s office is divided into two separate independent divisions, the Criminal Prosecution and Child Support divisions. The Criminal division currently consists of 2 criminal prosecuting attorneys, a victim’s advocate, a part-time investigator, one full-time administrative assistant, a part-time administrative assistant and a receptionist. The Child Support division currently consists of one attorney, one caseworker and one part-time administrative assistant. Future expansion would create additional staff positions consisting of 2 additional criminal prosecuting attorney’s, a full-time investigator, and an additional caseworker for the child support division. The Prosecutor’s office maintains their own files. Long term file storage (seven years) and current files are stored on site. Longer term (thirty years) files are stored in the basement of the County Jail. The Prosecutor’s office works very closely with the Court, Probation, and the Clerk’s office, in that order. They interact less frequently with Community Corrections. Space Requirements 1. For future expansion, space for additional offices for an investigator, two criminal attorneys, an additional administrative assistant and a caseworker for the child Support Division. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 23 2. Conference room 3. Break room 4. Work room with copier 5. Secure entry to reception area 6. Secure waiting area Brown County Circuit Court Judge Judith Stewart presides over the Brown County Circuit Court. Douglas Van Winkle presides as the Court Magistrate. The Court currently consists of the Courtroom, a small Hearing Room, a Law Library, a tiny Attorney/Client Conference room (actually a closet), a Jury Room, Court Secretary/Recorders office, Judges Office, Magistrates Office, Bailiff’s Office and two small restrooms. The Court has frequent interaction with the Clerk’s office, Prosecutor’s office, Probation and Community Corrections in that order. Space Requirements and Deficiencies 1. Getting offenders from the county jail to the court requires a sally port for securely transferring inmates from the County Jail and maintaining separation from the public. NORTH DN UP UP UP UP UP DN DN BAILIFF DN STORAGE STAIRS STORAGE WOMEN MEN JUDGES OFFICE COURT SECRETARY JURY ROOM COURTROOM STAIRS LIBRARY ELEVATOR MECH. ATTORNEY/ CLIENT CONF. HEARING ROOM MAGISTRATE BROWN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT GRAPHIC SCALE 0 10 20 30 40 50 ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 24 2. Need to have separate access to the Court and hearing room to protect the identity of juvenile offenders. 3. Ideally, a secure point of entry for the Judge and Magistrate separate from the public and offenders. 4. Need a Jury Room large enough for 14 people with dedicated ADA accessible restroom directly accessible to the Jurors located to minimize contact with the court staff and the public. Small kitchenette unit for coffee accessible to the Jury Room. 5. Break room with a sink for use of the Court staff and attorney’s to preclude interaction with the Prosecutor’s office. 6. Need secure public access to the Court offices." 7. Larger Conference Room for attorney’s and clients. 8. Need a separate office to be shared by public defenders. 9. Need an office for the Guardian Ad Litem. Office needs to be large enough for meetings with families. 10. Hearing room needs to be larger, but accessible to the public. 11. Jury Room and box that is ADA accessible. 12. Need video teleconferencing capability in Courtroom and Hearing Room. 13. Need secure holding cell for offenders. 14. Need office space for Court Reporters. 15. Need space for law library and law clerk. 16. Need space for bailiff within the court office suite. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 25 Design Issues/Options/Recommendations In the current building configuration there are a number of issues that should be addressed. Following is a brief discussion of the issues. Refer to Appendix A for minutes of the interviews with courthouse staff. Brown County Clerk 1. The Clerk’s office is far too small. Needs to be located to maintain visual contact with the staff of the Clerk’s office. 2. The Clerk is responsible for maintaining, storing and archiving the confidential records of the Circuit Court. Currently, the records are not even stored in the Clerk’s office; they are stored in the basement of the County Jail. These records are accessed multiple times each day, creating inefficient operations and unnecessary liability for the County. Some Court and juvenile records are stored in the basement and in the record vault on the main level. 3. The Clerk’s office is charged with the responsibility of administering absentee voting every two years. There is currently no space for these operations or storing voting machines and records. Brown County Probation 1. There is a lack of security at the entry to Probation. The public has free access to the offices within this space. Waiting area needs to be secured. 2. Offices are much too small. Need to accommodate staff member, offender and family members. 3. Need an additional office for staff member. 4. Storage space for Probation records. Community Corrections 1. Recently relocated to the lower level of the Veterans Center. Recommend leaving the Community Corrections offices in their current location. Brown County Prosecutor 1. No space for future expansion. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 26 2. No secure waiting area. 3. Currently the space is in a separate building creating operational inefficiencies due to the close working relationship with the Circuit Court staff and judge. Brown County Circuit Court 1. There are several security issues with the court. There is no provision for separating offenders from the public as they enter the building, no sally port, no holding cell once offenders arrive at the Court. 2. There should be a secure building entrance that allows screening of building visitors for weapons during trials. 3. Need a way to bring juvenile offenders into the courtroom and hearing room that protects their identities. 4. A secured public entry to the Court offices is needed. It is possible for people to eavesdrop on confidential conversations in the current configuration. 5. The space for jurors should be designed to prevent contact between the jurors and the judge. Currently they share space such as bathrooms. 6. The current jury room is much too small and not accessible to anyone with mobility issues. Need separate self-contained jurors space with restroom, coat room and coffee bar, accessible to the bailiff. 7. The attorney/client conference space is literally a closet. 8. No office space for the public defender. 9. No office space for the Guardian Ad Litem. 10. The hearing room is too small. 11. Would be very beneficial if the record storage in the Clerk’s office was connected to the court offices via a dumbwaiter. OPTIONS Since there is not enough space available in the current courthouse to meet the needs of the building users, there are two basic options available to the County to correct the issues addressed in this study. Option One: Construct a new Courthouse on a new site. Option Two: Construct a new addition to the existing Courthouse and renovate the existing ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 27 space. The appeal of Option One is that the current spaces could be used in their current state until the new space is constructed, shortening the total construction schedule. Option One has several drawbacks. First is acquiring new property in a suitable location. The Brown County Courthouse is currently located in the center of Nashville, the county seat. Historically, Courthouses occupy a prominent location in the community, creating an appropriate hierarchy that gives an appropriate status to the importance of the Courthouse in the daily functioning of county governance. Given the location of the County Annex Building, and the lack of a suitable site, the opportunity to establish the proper hierarchy would be lost with a new site. Second, the cost would be higher for this option due to the cost of the new site, and the cost of constructing the equivalent space available today in the existing Courthouse. Third is the issue of the disposition of the existing Courthouse if another is constructed. Option Two is more appealing for several reasons. First, it is less costly. A new site would entail the cost of the site and perhaps new infrastructure; and it is less costly to renovate space than to construct the same space new. Second, an addition to the existing Courthouse makes use of the existing assets and maintains the prominent location of the Courthouse within the community. One disadvantage of Option Two, is the staging of construction. The new addition must be constructed first, then current offices must be relocated into the newly constructed space, freeing up space in the existing building that could then be renovated, and then spaces shifted into the newly renovated space. This process will have the effect of lengthening the construction schedule. The Brown County Courthouse is on the National Historic Register. Care will need to be taken during any renovation to the structure to maintain the historical authenticity of the building. For instance, in replacing the windows, every effort should be made to restore the window pattern to the original appearance and configuration. In discussing the project with the Indiana Department of Historic Preservation and Archeology, I was advised that there is significant opportunity for addressing building issues such as building accessibility and relocation of the courtroom. The IHPA would not get involved unless state or federal dollars were used for the project, but are available for consultation and as a resource regardless of their level of involvement. RECOMMENDATION ADS Architects recommends that: ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 28 The various Court agencies with the exception of the Community Corrections Program be combined into a single structure by means of a two story addition to the existing building that compliments the current building design; That the record storage filing system be located within the Courthouse; That the existing Courthouse space be renovated as necessary to accommodate new uses and required space modifications; Develop a building program and construction sequencing plan to construct the addition and renovate the existing building so as to cause as little disruption as possible to the functioning of the Courts and the related agencies; Improve the building security and provide proper separation between the public, inmates, judges and jurors; Design the building to be ADA accessible; Design and construct the new addition to exceed the current energy codes to minimize operating costs; Correct the design issues outlined elsewhere in above discussions; Reduce hardscape and create more green space around the building to soften the transition from the streetscape to the building; 10.) Enlarge the paver area on the east side and create a public plaza for the display of outdoor art and to provide a visual connection from Main Street to the new building main entry; 11.) Change the window pattern to match the original historic window pattern. 12.) Consider changing the roof to a standing seam metal roof as an alternative; 13.) Consider adding a basement under the addition for future growth or parking. Adding parking in the basement would provide enough parking for Jurors (14 spaces). The balance of the space could be used for storage. If parking for Jurors is added, another elevator should be added to transport Jurors from the parking level to the jury room. These recommendations will create a more functional arrangement increasing staff efficiency, provide room for current and future expansion, increase the energy performance of the building envelope thereby reducing the resulting building operational costs, provide the necessary building security and the proper separation between the prosecutor, court staff and jurors. It will also reduce County liability by eliminating the daily multiple trips to the jail to retrieve Court records, provide ready access to the clerks office and other officials of the Court and make provision for early and absentee voting. ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 29 New Building Program " First Floor-Existing Building Brown County Probation Increase the size of the Director’s office Larger offices for staff Additional office for new staff member Create a secured entry to space Conference room for twelve Storage space for records Drug testing area Shared Break Room Staff Restroom Court Offices Public defender’s office Office for Guardian Ad Litem First Floor-New Addition Brown County Clerk Director’s office Deputy Clerk office Voting Administrators office Space for absentee voting Storage for voting machines Secured entry to space Document review area Conference room for twelve Storage space for records Six office cubicles Shared Break Room Separate space for record storage system Dumbwaiter Staff Restroom Public Space Secure Building Entrance Public lobby large enough to stack up to 30 people during absentee voting Public elevator to Courtroom and Hearing Room First Floor-Public Space Secure Building Entrance Public lobby large enough to stack up to 30 people during absentee voting Elevator and stairways Custodial Space Electrical and Data Equipment Public Restrooms ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 30 First Floor Secure Vehicle Sally Port with elevator to transfer offenders to second floor holding cell Secure Building Entrance Second Floor-Existing Building Brown County Prosecutor Criminal Prosecution Division Prosecutor’s office 2 Criminal Attorney’s offices Victims Advocate Investigator’s office 3 Administrative Assistants Secured waiting area Secured Office Manager/Receptionist Conference room/Break room Short-term Record Storage Long-term record storage Workroom Staff restroom Child Support Division Child Support Attorney office Administrative Assistant Caseworker Office Second Floor-New Addition Brown County Circuit Court Judge’s Office w/private restroom Magistrate’s Office w/private restroom Court Administrative Secretary Four Court Reporters Secured public access/waiting Law Clerk Office/Law Library Court Room Attorney/Client Conference rooms Jury Room with restroom and coffee bar Hearing Room Juvenile Holding Record storage system Staff Restroom Break Room Second Floor Secure Holding Cell Elevator for transporting offenders first floor sally port Bailiff Office Evidence Storage Bailiff access to court offices and Jury Room Controlled ingress/egress from Juror Room ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 31 Second Floor-Public Space Courtroom Lobby Elevator and stairways Custodial Space Public Restrooms ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 32 Conceptual Design The design concept consists of a new two-story addition where the old jail once stood. The first floor of the addition will contain the Clerk’s Office. The Circuit Court, Hearing Room and support spaces will occupy the second floor. The existing building first floor will continue to house the Probation Department Suite in its current location and offices for the Public Defender and Guardian Ad Litem, drug testing area, shared break room and conference room on the east side. The Prosecutor’s Suite will be relocated to the second floor of the existing building where the Courtroom and Hearing Room is currently located. The second floor of the annex will be lowered to match the existing building so that the entire second floor is on one level. Secure entry into the new addition will be from a new entrance on the east side. The south entry will remain as an emergency exit. The existing elevator near the current south entrance to the building will be removed. A new public elevator from the new public lobby will be installed to give the public access to the second floor Courtroom and Hearing Room. Area Summary Existing Basement Plan 894 SF First Floor Addition 8700 SF First Floor Renovation of Existing 4260 SF Second Floor Addition 8700 SF Second Floor Renovation of Existing 4260 SF 17,400 SF 9414 SF Alternate basement Plan 7057 SF Building Character The building character will match the existing building using as close as possible, matching materials, eave lines and floor lines. The windows will be designed to replicate the original window style. The mechanical equipment will be concealed on a lowered roof deck at the apex of the roof. A new cupola with windows will bring natural light into the Courtroom from above. Every effort will be made to retain the current historic character of the Courthouse. Security The sheriff’s deputies will have a secure entry into the building via a sally port, separating the offenders from the public and the judge; and guarding the identity of juvenile offenders. The jurors will have access to a Jury Room that will provide proper separation from the judge, court staff and ---PAGE BREAK--- " Brown County Courthouse Study 2012 33 offenders and have a separate restroom and a coffee bar. The Bailiff serves as a link between the Jurors and the Judge and court staff. The Courtroom is larger than the current courtroom. The Courtroom will have accommodations for the judge’s bench (relocated), a court reporter, the jury box, the witness stand, bailiff, defense and plaintiff attorney/client tables and a spectator gallery. The Courtroom is located internally, reducing street noise, with supporting spaces and functions wrapping the perimeter.