A new Sumner County courthouse being built in downtown Gallatin is still on track to open in 2023, according to officials involved with the construction project.
A groundbreaking for the more than 200,000-square-foot building was held Tuesday at the corner of East Main Street and South Boyers Avenue next to the Gallatin Public Library.
“This is a historic day,” Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt told those in attendance. “This judicial building will not only enhance security, efficiency and public access, but it will serve our community for years to come.”
Construction work on the project began in April and is expected to last for 26 months, Holt added.
The five-story, predominantly brick building will consolidate all the county’s different courts into one location when it opens in mid-2023. Officials also noted that one of the floors will not be used initially but was added to provide for additional space to accommodate future growth.
“This project has been well thought out and well planned for,” Sumner County Commissioner and General Operations Committee Chair Leslie Schell said Tuesday. “It’s an absolute gorgeous building that is going to go with the character of downtown Gallatin, which was extremely important to us.”
In April, the county purchased property nearby on East Franklin Street directly behind the Gallatin Church of Christ to be used for a future parking garage. The multi-level is expected to have about 350 parking spaces and will open about six months before the courthouse is completed.
A new crosswalk will also be added directly across from the main entrance of the courthouse on East Main Street, according to plans for the project. Additional crosswalk improvements will also be made at East Main and South Boyers as well as at South Boyers and Smith Street.
The total cost of the project, including the parking garage, is approximately $83 million.
“The citizens of Sumner County are going to benefit from a modern, safer and more accessible building,” Sumner County Circuit Court Judge Joe Thompson said on behalf of the county’s judges Tuesday. “At the end of the day, that’s what this is all about – the citizens of our county.”
