Gilbane managed the construction of a new criminal justice center that consolidated the outdated and overcrowded facilities into the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, a 776,000-square-foot facility featuring 20-stories that house courtrooms, holding cells for 774 inmates and multiple floors of office space for attorneys and court administrators. Public spaces in the new building feature high-end finishes, such as marble walls, attractive rails in the lobby, and quality millwork in the courtrooms.
A mock-up gave judges an opportunity to review the courtroom finishes prior to construction to ensure their satisfaction. Harris County's justice center boasts 43 district and county courts, three magistrate hearing rooms, two probable cause courts, four floors of district attorney's offices, offices for district clerks, district and county administration and county court administration and 24-hour inmate intake operations. In addition, there are the state-of-the-art complete building automation systems of environmental control, fire alarm, and building security. The facility is tied to the County Jail via underground tunnel and connecting bridge. We also provided move management services. As Program Manager, we provided Harris County with full project design, construction, inspection, and administration services.
In order to provide cost estimates, value engineering, and to avoid scope creep, the team was able to evaluate bond money established before the facility was designed and worked diligently in the programming phase to meet high security needs while examining space standards and saving the owner money in the process.