Law center preps done

Tuolumne County is wrapping up a major phase of the multistage Law and Justice Center this week.

Sierra Mountain Construction was scheduled to finish painting stripes on the recently completed road work near the site on Tuesday, but by Tuesday afternoon had not started work. 

County officials say the striping will about complete the infrastructure phase of a construction project, which will eventually include a new courthouse, jail and other law enforcement facilities.

“It’s coming along,” said Maureen Frank, a deputy county administrator.

The county spent approximately $2.86 million on infrastructure for the center, installing utilities and improving roads in and around the site located at Old Wards Ferry Road. The infrastructure phase was supposed to wrap up in October, but was delayed by design and permitting issues with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

With the first phase complete, Frank said the county is now working on a land transfer agreement to sell a parcel on the site to the state for the new courthouse. The state Public Works Board authorized the property’s purchase earlier this month, and a final agreement will likely be on the county Board of Supervisors’ meeting agenda next month.

“That’s it,” Frank said. After that, “It’s in the state’s hands.”

The courthouse will be the first building to go up at the justice center. Funded by the state, plans call for a two-story, 67,000 square-foot building with five courtrooms. The court building is supposed to be completed and open by 2014.

The Board of Supervisors last month approved $1.45 million for architectural design on a new juvenile detention center, also to be located on-site. The 60-bed center is estimated to cost $18.4 million, with $14.3 million coming through a state grant.

Frank said schematic design, development and construction documents should be completed by September 2013.

The county is also working with the state for a new California Highway Patrol office on the site. And county officials are also still looking for some state funding to help finance a new jail, the cost of which is estimated to be about $48 million.