Summary

King County Executive Dow Constantine and District Court Judge Corinna Harn formally open newly-renovated space at Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. The renovations are expected to qualify for LEED Platinum green building certification.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine, District Court Chief Presiding Judge Corinna Harn, and other local leaders today formally opened newly-renovated space in the courts building at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. An $8.2 million remodeling project delivered five new courtrooms and associated support space for King County District Court, as well as a new security screening area and a reconfigured rotunda. The renovated area is expected to qualify for LEED Platinum certification for building improvements.

"Thanks to these renovations, the Maleng Regional Justice Center is now more customer-friendly, more jury-friendly, more secure, and more efficient," said Executive Constantine. "These operational improvements will help us live up to the legacy of the beloved public servant after whom this facility is named."

"With the opening of the five District Courtrooms and the District Court Clerk's office at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, King County has enhanced the vision and mission of providing a full-service regional justice center for south King County," Judge Harn said. "This highly functional and efficient facility is the culmination of thousands of hours of hard work and many partnerships both within King County and across jurisdictions, especially with the City of Kent. It brings sufficient courtrooms to handle the district court workload in south King County for the first time in more than ten years."

The improvements made in the new District Court area of the building make it the first "courthouse" in King County eligible for LEED Platinum status. LEED Platinum is the highest possible certification offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. 95 percent of demolition and construction debris generated by the remodeling was diverted from the waste stream, saving landfill space and money on disposal fees. In addition, the newly-renovated space will use 35 percent less energy through a combination of enhancements, including all-LED lighting in courtrooms and offices. Like the rest of the justice center complex, the remodeled area uses 100 percent renewable sources of electricity.

Other improvements to the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) courts building include better-functioning space for marshals, prosecutors, public defenders, and others who use the facility. The project also enhanced the MRJC rotunda by moving the security screening station to the rear of the courts building, nearer to the parking garage. For visitors with disabilities, the project created additional accessible parking spaces in the garage. Finally, two pieces of public art were moved to new locations within the courts building, giving them more prominence.

In addition to District Court and Superior Court operations, the MRJC courts building houses the King County Law Library, Superior Court's Jon and Bobbe Bridge Child Care Center, a King County Community Service Center, family law facilitators, and Housing and Justice Project clinics.

To learn more about King County District Court operations, visit www.kingcounty.gov/DistrictCourt.