New Courthouse

[richyb83]

The planned 10-story courthouse for downtown Baton Rouge could grow by another two stories if there is enough $money to pay for the work. The determining factor is construction cost in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The same storms that caused the increase in construction cost created the need for additional floors. Court officials should know in early 2007 whether the parish will have a 10-,11-, or 12-story courthouse.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/5003451.h...ndex=17&c=y

The new 19th Judicial Courthouse will be built on the site of the current Municipal Bldg parking lot. on North Blvd. on a direct-axis with the State Capitol on Fourth Street. The design will have illuminated glass and concrete structure that will create a beacon at the foot of Fourth Street

This older rendering has the courthouse at only 9-stories.

This is the view on Fourth Street; opposite the State Capitol.

The new Two City Plaza will be located at the first intersection on the immediate left edge of this rendering

[dan326]

Here's a little quick stretch I did to show the courthouse at 12 stories.

Here's some renderings I got out of the news paper.

[richyb83]

Thanks Dan for adding to the thread, I appreciate it. You do a great job skewing buildings.

This going to be a very nice courthouse. And a perfect location. The new Two City Plaza will be in the vicinity and both of those will really add(change the look) to the southern CBD. I can't wait!!!

12 stories would be nice; and civic/governmental buildings are usually taller than regular office bldgs. or hotels. Ex: the 10-story Governmental Bldg. is taller than the 12-story office bldg. on Third Street.

[dimebag1980]

Nice building!

And Dan, you da man. You're a visionary, and are having a lot of fun stretching those buildings.

[richyb83]

My question was answered today in "Ask the Advocate". It took them only a week to answer this.

Q: Any idea if or when the new 19th Judicial District Courthouse will even get off the ground? Hurricanes have sent construction costs skyrocketing. Will construction costs ever get back close to normal for these projects to go through? It would be a shame, because a new courthouse is badly needed to replace the current outdated one. If it is finally built, how many floors will it be

[byrde]

That is some positive news. They may as well build with with 12 floors. They will need it.

[richyb83]

Yes it's positive news! Keep in mind Civic/Governmental buildings tend to be taller per floor than the average office/hotel/or condos. So I believe the New Courthouse on the southern-end of the CBD will have a nice, suprising impact on the malnutritioned BR skyline, esp at 12-stories.

EX: The 10-story Governmental Bldg is taller than the 12-story office building on Third Street.

[hagetaka]

"malnutritioned BR skyline" man that is the best line I have read on the fourms so far!

if Baton Rouge wants to do something positive with a courthouse, they should take a look at the design of these courthouses.

Orange County Courthouse (Orlando, Florida)

U.S. Federal Courthouse (Seattle, Washington)

Of course both will be over "kill" for the city, but eventually we will need something like that.

[richyb83]

Courthouse project could start in a month; amount of floors still to be determined; base bid at 10-floors, still possibly could go 12-floors. A quote in the article says hopefully 12-floors "the state-of-the-art courthouse will be the envy of the Gulf Coast". The bids were encouraging.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7526162.html

[richyb83]

I just checked out the DDD website; done on a "power-point" presentation (it takes awhile to download).

The new 19th Judicial Courthouse's original rendering shows it as 9-stories. Well......it's now officially 11-stories on the final site plan! The building itself will be "huge". With a footprint of 30,000'sq.ft'; it will total 330,000sq.ft'! Traffic will be re-routed at the block of North Blvd.(map shown)

It will be interesting to see the impact it will have in the southern CBD. This along w/ II City Plaza will add some density(if not height) It will be interesting to see the new Courthouse next to the Governmental Bldg. too.

[Gauge]

I just checked out the DDD website; done on a "power-point" presentation (it takes awhile to download).

The new 19th Judicial Courthouse's original rendering shows it as 9-stories. Well......it's now officially 11-stories on the final site plan! The building itself will be "huge". With a footprint of 30,000'sq.ft'; it will total 330,000sq.ft'! Traffic will be re-routed at the block of North Blvd.(map shown)

It will be interesting to see the impact it will have in the southern CBD. This along w/ II City Plaza will add some density(if not height) It will be interesting to see the new Courthouse next to the Governmental Bldg. too.

Is 11 stories official? I know they were hoping to maybe add a one for floor for a total of 12 stories.

[richyb83]

^The original plan called for 9-stories; then they added a floor for 10. When base bids when out, I think they were going for 12, but they have a $100 million cap to work with. Maybe 12-stories exceeded the cap??? According to the website it's 11-stories. Who knows? Maybe they will add another?? Either way it will look different (better) than the 9-story rendering that has been shown.

[dinner roll]

^The original plan called for 9-stories; then they added a floor for 10. When base bids when out, I think they were going for 12, but they have a $100 million cap to work with. Maybe 12-stories exceeded the cap??? According to the website it's 11-stories. Who knows? Maybe they will add another?? Either way it will look different (better) than the 9-story rendering that has been shown.

Looks like a battle might be looming for a 12th floor.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7914932.html

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this dinner roll I saw that in the paper today! Make it 12, make it 12!!! This will be one HUGE civic building!!! They can just go ahead and start; while they are building upward, then they can decide on the amount 11 or 12 floors. Between this; II City Plaza; and RiverPlace, I am tired of waiting!

[dan326]

Actually that's what they did for the Shanghai Financial Tower, they started and then changed the design for the top while they were building(the original looked to similar to the Japanese national flag).

[brresident]

Actually that's what they did for the Shanghai Financial Tower, they started and then changed the design for the top while they were building(the original looked to similar to the Japanese national flag).

It's called fast tracking. Lots of private firms do that to their structures because they need the building up and running ASAP. They will start the building and the design details for the portions constructed last are not definate yet.

The government doesn't do anything fast, except over regulate.

[Gauge]

Some info on the courthouse:

Ground Breaking for new 19^th JDC Courthouse

The ground breaking ceremony for the new courthouse will be held on Wednesday, July 25^th at 3:00 p.m. All members of the bar are invited to attend the ceremony and the reception which will follow at the Old State Capitol.

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this news on the ground-breaking date Gauge. I think the orange barrels to block-off the construction site go up tommorrow(21st)???

[dinner roll]

The courthouse broke ground yesterday. It's now officially 12 stories.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/8720227.h...owAll=y&c=y

[richyb83]

Thanks for posting this dinner roll. They picked up the extra $6-million to add the top floor. At 12-stories this will be one impressive civic building,esp. at night. It's cool in the elevator people will be able to look down Fourth Street at the State Capitol thru the glass.

[richyb83]

Here is the location of the New Courthouse(yellow) on a direct axis with the State Capitol on Fourth Street

Originally 9-stories in renderings to now 12-stories is a nice increase

Wonder how tall a 12-story civic building like this will top out at?? Some of those floors will be much higher than regular office, hotel, condo,etc.

[twstdndmntd]

So the new courthouse will be 12 stories now? FANTASTIC!!! I love it. That is going to look great in the southern part of the CBD. Isn't that as tall as the new governmental buildings in the Capital Complex? You think it will stick out above the tree line somewhat? Such a great looking design too, especially for a courthouse.

[drew6974]

In the article on the groundbreaking yesterday, they mentioned "glass-windowed elevators will give riders a view down forth street straight to the capitol building." This was the first time I had heard of that. Will these elevators be exterior elevators? I don't see any representation of them on the artists' renderings.

[richyb83]

I just lost all my post! I'll try this again......

Kinda hard to explain; not 100% sure about details?? the elevator will be in the interior of the courthouse.

This bottom pic is the area(lobby/atrium?) looks to be where the elevator would be; between the outer-glass and actual rooms.

The elevator shaft outlined in yellow will be inside that outer-glass on the direct-axis with the State Capitol

View down Fourth Street

The original rendering(left) at 9-stories scrapped for the newly announced 12-stories(right) makes a significant difference

>> being a civic building it could skim the tree-line?? depends on some of the taller floors.

*compliments of dan326

* This increased floors for the New Courthouse from 9 up to 12 makes-up some for II City Plaza's 12-stories instead of 17 that was originally 14

*Actually II City Plaza would be on the left sidewalk on front edge of this rendering at this intersection; that's how close they are!

[drew6974]

I just lost all my post! I'll try this again......

Kinda hard to explain; not 100% sure about details?? the elevator will be in the interior of the courthouse.

This bottom pic is the area(lobby/atrium?) looks to be where the elevator would be; between the outer-glass and actual rooms.

The elevator shaft outlined in yellow will be inside that outer-glass on the direct-axis with the State Capitol

View down Fourth Street

The original rendering(left) at 9-stories scrapped for the newly announced 12-stories(right) makes a significant difference

>> being a civic building it could skim the tree-line?? depends on some of the taller floors.

*compliments of dan326

* This increased floors for the New Courthouse from 9 up to 12 makes-up some for II City Plaza's 12-stories instead of 17 that was originally 14

*Actually II City Plaza would be on the left sidewalk on front edge of this rendering at this intersection; that's how close they are!

Thanks for the info on the elevator. I see it in the interior photos. That's going to be a beautiful building as is CPII. I was driving down North Blvd. yesterday and it's hard to imagine how much it's going to change the look and feel of North Blvd. and the whole area of the southern cbd. It's also going to block the eyesore governmental building. That's another plus.

Now maybe something will develop with the old ebrats bldg. and the newly acquired Trahan site.