Kress Building

[northside lurker]

My company has been working on preliminary designs for the new municipal court building. (I haven't been involved, so I don't know much about it)  They originally looked at the city hall annex, but decided it would cost too much money.  So, they decided a new building would be a better option.  But it appears there is interest in revisiting the idea of renovating the annex building.

[jay]

This is the alley/parking lot behind the Kress Building.  City Hall is the large building on the right.  The Kress Building is one of the red brick buildings on the left.

[Defend Youngstown]

I would recommend looking at the City Hall Annex building located on Front St. It is a city owned building that previously held the 7th District Court of Appeals. Planning and CDA could occupy the then vacant 2nd floor of City Hall. This idea was orginally suggested last week by John Swierz (7th Ward) whom wanted to discuss the idea with Sean McKinney (Building/Grounds). I have not spoke with John about the matter since that time. I will ask him Monday where that proposal stands (although preliminary).

[ytowner]

This could be a nice fixer upper; but I don't want anymore courts than we already have on Federal. Too bad the Sports Museum idea fell through.

Anyone have any other ideas..
Someone with some money could do what they did to the JR Davis Bldg and really get a nice restaurant in the first floor.

[Towntalk]

That's a very interesting thought since it is close to the Police Station, it has an open floor layout allowing for a court layout that would satisfy the Judges. The Skywalk between the building and YPD would allow transfer of prisoners to court appearances. The layout of the court rooms could be such as to provide for security in the same fashion that would be used if they were to build a new building, but at a lower cost.

How many courtrooms are needed? (Court Room, Judges Chambers, Bailiff's offices; rest rooms; Jury rooms; Witness rooms; Clerk of Court.)

It seems to me that the entire building could be used including the first floor which could house the Clerk of Court and City Prosecutor's offices, and other court related offices.

If the John Davis building could be saved and reused, there is no reason why the Kress Building can't be saved.

Here is a list of the offices that would be needed:

Clerk of Court - 9 offices
Court Rooms - 4
Court Administrator
Assignment Office
Court Stenographers
Service Bailiff and Jury Manager
Magistrates
Probation

[jay]

Pictured below is the Kress Building located on Federal Plaza West.  The structure is situated across the alley from city hall.

Could the upper floors of this building be renovated to house the propose municipal courtrooms?  A skywalk could connect the Kress building to the current city hall court area.  The first floor could still remain available for future commercial uses.