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<br />February 27,2007
<br />
<br />Motion by Ms. Psi mas, and seconded by Mr. Heretick, to adopt the following
<br />resolution, and was adopted by the following vote:
<br />
<br />"RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE LOCATION OF A NEW CIRCUIT COURT
<br />COURTHOUSE FOR THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH.
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the present Circuit Court courthouse of the City of Portsmouth,
<br />encompassing both court facilities per se and the Circuit Court Clerk's Office, is part of
<br />the "Civic Center," which also contains a General District Court courthouse, a Juvenile
<br />and Domestic Relations courthouse, the City Jail and portion of the Police Department;
<br />and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Civic Center was built in 1969, and the Circuit Court courthouse
<br />is badly deteriorated and is no longer adequate to serve the needs of the public and the
<br />court system safely and efficiently; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, it is in the public interest that a new Circuit Court courthouse be built
<br />to correct these concerns; and it is necessary to design and build court facilities that
<br />meet current standards of safety to accommodate judges, lawyers, jurors, defendants,
<br />witnesses, police officers, the general public etc.; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, City Council has approved and ratified a new Circuit Court
<br />courthouse by its due and lawful adoption of the Capital Improvement Plan and Capital
<br />Budget for Fiscal Year 2006-2007, on April 25, 2006, but a location has not heretofore
<br />been selected by City Council; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, with City Council approval, the City has conducted a professional,
<br />competitive selection process and as a result thereof has selected a nationally
<br />respected firm, Moseley Architects, to be the Project Architect; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the role of the Project Architect is to do a needs assessment,
<br />conceptual design, and preliminary cost analysis, to be followed by actual design of the
<br />facility and the development of the construction documents; and Moseley has already
<br />commenced performing this work; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, it is important that the location of a new Circuit Court courthouse be
<br />convenient to the public and conducive to efficient operation and coordination with other
<br />components of the judicial system, including the lower courts, the City Jail, City Hall, the
<br />Commonwealth's Attorney, the Police Department, financial institutions, public parking,
<br />public transit, and private legal offices; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, there is an available property meeting all these requirements that,
<br />upon careful consideration by City Council, is determined to be considered the ideal site
<br />that will allow phasing or expansion, superior to any other, and it is located at the
<br />northwest corner of the intersection of Crawford Street (running generally north and
<br />south) and Crawford Street North (running generally east and west), commonly referred
<br />to as the "Desk Inc. site" and hereinafter referred to as the "Property"; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, other sites that meet these same criteria would require considerable
<br />time and expense in acquiring andlor assembling those sites; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Property is already owned by the Greater Portsmouth
<br />Development Corporation in which the City of Portsmouth is a one-third member, and
<br />thus planning, design work, and construction can commence forthwith, without either
<br />the delay, the expense, or the uncertainty associated with the acquisition of privately
<br />owned property; and
<br />
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