Courthouse begins move to new facility
Spartanburg County’s new $120 million courthouse will officially open Monday.
County spokeswoman Scottie Kay Blackwell said the move from the old courthouse on Magnolia Street began Monday. Jan. 8. The new courthouse will open at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 22.
Officials plan to demolish the old county courthouse once the move to the new courthouse is complete. Plans also include erecting a public plaza at the site of the old courthouse.
Money for the $120 million project comes from revenues from a 1-cent capital sales tax that county voters approved in November 2017.
The new courthouse is on North Daniel Morgan Avenue, bordered by St. John and Library Streets. The building has a parking garage and a secure parking area with 32 spaces for judges and officials.
Parking also includes spaces to comply with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA).
According to the county’s website, the 340,000-square-foot courthouse will consolidate activities that were previously located in separate county and municipal facilities.
The six-story steel structure with a precast façade designed to resemble marble includes 17 courtrooms, one hearing room, a jury assembly room, jury deliberation rooms and shell spaces for future use.
The office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is on the top floor, along with the Circuit Court, which is the court of general jurisdiction. Courts of limited jurisdiction include the Family Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, and Municipal Court.
The Municipal and Magistrate Courts are located lowest in the building, with the Family and Probate Courts occupying the middle floors.
Space also includes room for the various Clerk of Court functions, Sheriff Courthouse security and court holding, Solicitor, Public Defender, Juvenile Justice and Guardian ad Litem.