Site plan determined for Goshen consolidated courthouse

 

GOSHEN, Ind -- A site plan and physical layout for Elkhart County’s new Consolidated Courts project has been selected.

The site plan, designed to maximize use of the 23-acre plot of land adjacent to Reliance Road at the western edge of Goshen, is one of two site plans that were under consideration. The building itself will be 4 stories tall with 13 individual courtrooms.

The genesis of a consolidated Elkhart County Courthouse system goes back to 1992. The project has been discussed as a necessary improvement since that time.

Beginning in January 2018 and concluding in July of 2020, more than two dozen locations were studied by Elkhart County government as potential sites for the consolidated campus. The studies included sites in downtown Goshen and downtown Elkhart.

"It’s going to be wonderful -- building and it’s going to have some great view off of the bridge on county road 17, so it’s not going to be tucked away where nobody can see it." said Elkhart County commissioner president, Suzanne Weirick. 

On September 12, 2020 an initial bond agreement was approved in the amount of $35 million for the first phase in financing to purchase land, design and build the new courthouse.

As of now, the approved purchase of 32 acres is official and the address of the Elkhart County Courthouse will be at 1905 Reliance Road in Goshen as the location for the new consolidated courts campus.

The county has purchased homes in the area and decided that the new courthouse will have both an entrance and exit on reliance road.

Which is also known as old county road 17.

The idea of having two exits on the road is to provide more road access for their 300 plus employees in the new courthouse.

"It’s a good thing to see some activity across the street. So, bringing more people over to this part of town, absolutely I think it’s a good thing personally." said local business owner Chad Gascho.