FRANKFORT, Ky., Jan. 10, 2008 – Overall construction of the Washington County Judicial Center in Springfield is 40 percent finished and crews will soon reach a milestone in the project that will allow work to begin inside the structure, according to Garlan VanHook, AIA, general manager of the Department of Court Facilities for the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Within the next two weeks, the facility’s exterior sheathing (walls) and roof will be finished and its window openings will be covered, weather permitting. At that point, the structure will be “dried in,” meaning that the exterior shell will be finished and crews can start work on the interior without regard for the weather. Initially, interior work will include putting up walls, pouring concrete flooring and installing mechanical systems and plumbing. Simultaneously, workers will begin adding bricks and stone to the structure’s exterior walls.

The clock tower is also scheduled to be placed atop the building in coming weeks.

“I’m pleased with the progress we’ve been making on the project,” said Chief Circuit Judge Doughlas M. George, who serves Washington, Green, Marion and Taylor counties. “The building is starting to take shape and people are able to see what it is going to look like. I’m looking forward to the finished version of what will be a state-of-the-art court facility for Washington County. I think it’s a structure of which everybody in the community will be proud.”

The 34,493-square-foot judicial center is scheduled to be completed this fall. The Kentucky General Assembly authorized the Washington County project in 2005 and approved its funding in 2006.

Local contractors are handling significant portions of the work on the facility, including M & J Construction, which handles general trade functions such as site and concrete work, and Taylor Welding and Fabricating, which is responsible for erecting the steel. Brandstetter Carroll Inc. of Lexington designed the building and Codell Construction Co. of Winchester is the construction manager for the project.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the estimated $11.9 million judicial center was held in March. Construction costs equal $8.7 million of the total project amount.

“The Washington County Judicial Center project has made excellent progress to date,” said VanHook of the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort. “Both the design and construction schedules have kept pace with the community’s expectations and enthusiasm for the project. The leadership shown by the members of the Project Development Board and AOC Project Manager Vance Mitchell has contributed greatly to the current success of the project. With everyone’s continued support, this judicial center is sure to be a landmark project for the people of Washington County and the Kentucky Court of Justice.”

The AOC is the fiscal agent for the Kentucky Court of Justice and oversees construction of court facilities statewide. The AOC also supports the activities of approximately 4,000 court system employees, including the elected offices of justices, judges and circuit court clerks.

The Washington County Project Development Board is comprised of Judge George, Washington County Judge Executive John A. Settles, Washington County Fiscal Court Magistrate Hal Goode, Circuit Court Clerk George Graves, AOC Director Jason Nemes and Springfield attorney James L. Mattingly as the Kentucky Bar Association designee. VanHook and the AOC Office of General Counsel serve in an advisory capacity.