Verde Valley residents can look forward to a new Superior Court Building in Camp Verde.
The county attorneys, public defenders and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office can look forward to moving out of the “mobile home” that currently houses their offices.
By Greg Nix
Larson Newspapers
Verde Valley residents can look forward to a new Superior Court Building in Camp Verde.
The county attorneys, public defenders and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office can look forward to moving out of the “mobile home” that currently houses their offices.
County Administrator Julie Ayers said the groundbreaking ceremony was held July 21. The government officials and others who dug the ceremonial blade of dirt were: Bob Smith, Smith Construction Management; Scott Bohning, Durrant Architecture; Gayle Mabery, Clarkdale town manager; Jerome Mayor Al Palmieri; Camp Verde Vice Mayor Brenda Hauser; Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Chip Davis; Yavapai County District 1 Supervisor Carol Springer; Jeanne Hicks, clerk of court; and Judges Robert Brutinel, Tina Ainley and Warren Darrow.
The estimated date of completion is Oct. 2009 and the project is budgeted at $12 million, Capital Improvements Coordinator Jim Holst said.
This $12 million project is part of the $50 million lease-purchase loan the Board of Supervisors approved this past spring, Finance Director John Zander said.
The lease-purchase is similar to a “rent to own” for residents in the Verde Valley, Holst said.
Zander said $1.6 million has already been spent; the money has gone to the development and architectural plans and the current construction completed to date.
Holst said the project has some of the footer work completed; gas hooked up; the basement walls are up; and the electric and water utilities have been extended to the site.
Footer work for this project is the same as contractors building a new house, he said. Ditches are dug, concrete with steel rebar is poured in, and the retaining walls are then built.
The basement walls are up and the site has been recontoured to accommodate the final building, Holst said.
There will be some holding cells in the new building. The county departments housed in the temporary housing will be moved in to the Verde Valley Justice Court, he said.
The renovation of the old building to house YCSO, county attorneys and the public defenders is roughly estimated to cost $500,000, Holst said. The final cost will not be
clearly known for another six months.
He said the project is on schedule, and when completed, will house one court hearing court room and four jury court rooms.
Greg Nix can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 122, or e-mail gnix@larsonnewspapers.com.
