No reopening date yet for Vista courthouse

Nearly two months after a ceiling collapsed and left one side of the Vista courthouse closed, state courts officials don’t know when it will reopen or how much repairs will cost.

They do know, however, what led to the collapse: the failure of metal clips that attach the ceiling’s grid, lights and utilities to the structure.

The clips will be replaced throughout the building, according to Blaine Corren, spokesman for the Judicial Council of California, which owns the courthouse.

The courthouse is still partially open, but operating under somewhat of a triage system since Nov. 8. Staffers walked in that morning and found the ceiling had fallen.

No one was injured. Fire crews responding to the collapse asked for the north side of the courthouse to be evacuated in an abundance of caution. That included 18 courtrooms and the business office that handles criminal case files, family court services and other services.

The Judicial Council brought in a structural engineer to assess the condition of the building and figure out why the ceiling collapsed, Corren said.

“The structural engineer’s report indicated the structural integrity of the building frame is sound, but identified problems in the ceiling system in some parts of the building,” Corren said in an email.

Aside from clip replacement, the engineer recommended the installation of additional bracing to safeguard against ceiling and lighting failures should there be an earthquake.

Corren said the state Judicial Council is working with San Diego court officials to come up with a repair plan to make the fixes as soon as possible. As of Monday, there was no projected repair or reopen date nor a projected cost.

The main Vista courthouse — not including the traffic court annex — is made up of two sides. The problems are in the single-story structure on the north side. The southern end is newer, and it has five stories.

With 18 courtrooms closed on the north side, hearings have been moved to courtrooms in the south building or in the annex where traffic cases are heard.