After years of planning and nearly three years of construction, the City of Columbus is preparing to open the new John D. Allen Judicial Center, a $207.5 million project that city leaders say will modernize the local court system for decades to come.
The 342,000-square-foot judicial complex is scheduled for substantial completion in September 2026 and will replace the aging Government Center courthouse, which has served the community for more than 50 years.
The eight-story building, which also includes a basement level, was funded primarily through the 2021 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), with $200 million coming from SPLOST funds and an additional $7.5 million from the city’s General Fund.
Construction began in December 2023. Once completed, city departments and court-related offices will begin relocating after furniture installation and systems testing are finalized.
According to Ryan Pruett, Director of Building Inspections and Code Enforcement, the new facility addresses several longstanding issues present in the current courthouse.
“The technology is a big part of it,” Pruett said. “The courtrooms are best practice courtrooms now as far as technology — microphones, speakers and audio-visual capabilities.”
The new judicial center also significantly improves security measures. Unlike the current facility, public visitors, judges, court staff and individuals in custody will have separate circulation paths throughout the building and will only come into contact inside courtrooms when necessary…