Rededicating Lawyers Mall

From left, Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford, General Services Secretary Ellington Churchill and Gov. Larry Hogan, chat Monday under the statue of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall at the rededication of Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. AMY DAVIS/BALTIMORE SUN PHOTOS

Gov. Larry Hogan and other Maryland officials rededicated the redesign and renovation of Lawyers Mall in Annapolis on Monday, a key feature of the state government complex and a memorial to one of the state’s most prominent sons.

Located on the site of the old Court of Appeals, the project included the repair and replacement of underground utilities that provide power, steam, and water to the state government complex.

Lawyers Mall itself was created in 1973, but most people know it for the 1996 memorial to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Elaine Bachmann, deputy state archivist and secretary of the State House Trust, said at the rededication that the renovation maintained the integrity of the 1996 design, including the statue by Toby Mendez.

Hogan noted that the mall has been a symbol of democracy in Annapolis, where thousands of people have come to rally or protest over issues of the day.

“Lawyers Mall has been a focal point of our State Government Complex for decades and will continue to be so for generations to come,” Hogan said, according to a copy of his remarks released by his office.

House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones acknowledged the contributions of two

The bedrock principle of “Equal Justice Under Law” is inscribed in the plaza of the redesigned Lawyers Mall as part of the Thurgood Marshall memorial. late state leaders instrumental in securing the project, Speaker Mike Busch and Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller.

The total square footage of assembly space has been increased from 2,000 sq. ft. to 6,000 sq. ft., allowing groups of up to 1,200 people to gather comfortably. The new design also includes a natural speaker podium and an abundance and variability of seating options.

The project also removed a number of steps to make the space more accessible and incorporates a snowmelt system and sustainable stormwater features.