Springfield is looking at an upgrade to its municipal court building, but such an endeavor is costly and all the funding has yet to be identified. Architects with N Form Architecture presented to Springfield City Council the findings of their study and a proposal for a new and improved municipal court building on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
N Form is also currently working on the Greene County Circuit Court expansion and a new secure entrance, and was the architect of the new Greene County Jail. City Chief Spokesperson Cora Scott confirmed to the News-Leader that the city’s contract with N Form is not to exceed $50,000, with total billed at roughly $48,500.
The current municipal court building at 625 N. Benton Ave. has long been considered inadequate to serve the modern needs of Springfield’s courts. The building dates back to 1965 and was used as a cafeteria before municipal court operations moved in in 1993. Stephanie Shadwick, principal and architect at N Form, said the current facility lacks the space for proper security screening, caseloads and adequate workstations, and does not provide ADA-accessible facilities. Due to its age, it also has experienced utility issues and water infiltration problems…