The upper levels of the Linn County Courthouse on Mays Island reopened in October 2008. The lower level, which housed juvenile court offices and record storage, remains closed while Linn County works with FEMA on mitigation and improvements that will reduce the severity of damages should there ever be another flood of the magnitude of 2008.
The lower level of the Courthouse will be reconstructed as courtrooms instead of replacing the offices and storage areas that were flooded. Should the lower level flood again, it would be easier and more cost effective to replace courtroom space than to replace offices and risk damage to stored items. The floor plans also call for rearranging some offices on the upper floors to make the best use of space throughout the Courthouse.
The estimated cost of these changes is $8.5 million. FEMA will fund approximately $6.2 million. Linn County will issue bonds to cover the costs not reimbursed by FEMA.
Learn about the public art coming to the Linn County Courthouse.
Total Cost: $8.5 million (estimated)
Funding Sources:
$6.2 million FEMA
$2.3 million Linn County bonding
Completion Date: December 2012
Architect: Ament, Inc.
Mitigation:
- Build courtrooms in the lower levels instead of replacing offices and storage areas that flooded
- It is more cost effective to replace courtroom space than to replace offices and risk damage to stored items
- Fill in the tunnels connecting the jail and Courthouse and the underground parkade and Courthouse
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