Fauquier County Could See New $55M Court Building

By CN Staff

WARRENTON, Va.—Fauquier County may soon get a new $55.3 million building that would place the county’s three courts in one new downtown building.

Architectural/engineering firm BKV Group recently gave a virtual presentation to Fauquier County’s Board of Supervisors that showed options to address a range of courthouse challenges that would accommodate 20 years of growth.

The county’s Circuit, General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts presently operate in three separate buildings downtown.

Last year, the U.S. Marshal’s Office completed a security assessment of the three courthouses. Based on the findings, Sheriff Bob Mosier recommended that the courts occupy one building.

The least expensive option that BKV suggested would be a three-story building that would span approximately 100,000 square feet on an acre the county owns along West Lee Street.

At the high end, a $90 million option calls for a new county government building of 29,190 square feet on the same Lee Street site, where the Sheriff’s Office evidence building stands.

It also provides for a 29,781-square-foot expansion and remodeling of the county court/office building at 40 Culpeper St. to accommodate the judicial system.

Built nearly 50 years ago,  the five-story brick building houses the circuit court system—including the clerk’s office and records room, the judge’s chamber and the commonwealth’s attorney office—in addition to county government agencies.

Without expansion, the courthouse at 40 Culpeper St. will not be able satisfy two decades of growth for the judicial system.

In addition to three courts, the recommended $55.3 million option would include space for the three clerks’ offices, the commonwealth’s attorney office, the magistrates’ office, secured “lower-level parking” and a prisoner holding area.