U.S. COURTHOUSE PLANS TO BE DRAWN

The General Services Administration plans to hire an architectural firm this year to design a new federal courthouse for Cape Girardeau.

"We are hoping to have a contract awarded in the next two to three months for an architect to start designing the project," said Dennis Miller, project manager for the GSA in Fort Worth, Texas.

Congress in recent years has appropriated about $6 million to buy the land and design the building. If Congress approves construction money in next year's budget, the GSA plans to award a construction contract in late summer or early fall 2001.

Construction of the 150,000-square-foot courthouse is expected to cost more than $30 million, Miller said.

Construction could take about two years to complete with the courthouse expected to open in early 2004.

The government plans to build the structure on old Happy Hollow near Independence and Frederick west of City Hall. Miller said the government plans to buy three to four acres. The courthouse will sit back from the corner for both security and aesthetic purposes, he said. It likely will face Independence as does City Hall, Miller said.

The site will have surface parking for 122 vehicles and another 22 parking spaces under the building. The underground parking primarily will be reserved for judges and the U.S. Marshal's Service.

Once a preliminary design has been determined, it will be shared with Cape Girardeau officials, Miller said.

The GSA plans to work closely with federal judges in finalizing building plans. Miller said: "We view the court as our client. We are building this building for the court."

Federal judicial offices will move from the Federal Building on Broadway into the new courthouse.

The courthouse will have three courtrooms and various court and judges' offices as well as space for federal prosecutors, public defenders and the U.S. Marshal's Service.

Miller said the GSA intends to build a landmark structure. The goal is to build a courthouse that will stand for at least 100 years, he said.

The courthouse initially will be designed to meet federal court space needs for 10 years. But the design will allow for future expansion to meet the court's 30-year needs, Miller said.

In addition to congressional funding, the timetable for construction may depend on the labor market. Nationwide, contractors are having difficulty securing enough workers for construction projects, he said.