Overall Project
How was this project approved?
After years of due diligence on the part of the County and including several citizens’ committees, the final recommendation of the Rockdale County Judicial & Administrative Complex Task Force was submitted in January 2023 at a Board of Commissioners meeting.
There have been multiple steps of approval throughout the past year. The Program Manager contract was put out to bid to work with County staff on project oversight, and that contract was approved at a BOC meeting last March. The Board approved the Design Professional’s bid at a meeting last August, and the Construction Manager at Risk, also bid, was approved by the BOC at a meeting last September.
How is this project being funded?
The project has multiple funding sources:
SPLOST monies. The voters approved the SPLOST referendum in May of 2022, which allocated $19,602,000 towards the project.
PFA Bond funds. The Public Facilities Authority was enacted by the General Assembly of Georgia in 2022, which allows for the borrowing of $110 million in bonds with a maximum maturity of 40 years.
County General Fund. The FY22 millage rate was set by the Board of Commissioners in August of 2022 to fund the debt service for the $110 million in bonds to be issued through the Public Facilities Authority. An additional $10 million has been set aside from FY22 and FY23 budgets from the accumulated millage.
When is the project scheduled to start?
The second quarter of 2024.
What is the project completion date?
Early 2027.
Construction
What are the hours of operation for construction? Will construction be done on weekends?
A typical work week is Monday – Friday (7 am to 3 pm), with some days beginning sooner based on activities. There are numerous reasons why the project will work weekends; for example, to take advantage of good weather, schedule slippage, critical activities that require power outages, etc.
Will the courthouse hours of operation remain the same during construction?
Yes, and the community will be notified if the hours of operations change.
Does the project include demolition?
Yes, the project includes the demolition of six existing structures.
Will the project be constructed in phases? If so, how many?
Currently, there are two phases of construction. Phase 1 will focus on the new administration building and courthouse. Phase 2 will focus on site improvements, the parking deck and renovations to the existing courthouse.
If I am subcontractor, who do I contact to get involved or to receive bidding information?
Griffin Hall at [email protected] or Tyler Isgett at [email protected].
Will the construction company be able to facilitate partnerships of smaller subcontractors with bigger firms?
Yes, they can facilitate partnerships if needed and be a resource.
Will Equal Business Opportunity goals be tracked?
Yes, EBO goals will be tracked according to the County’s EBO ordinance.
Structure
Will there be handicapped/wheelchair parking and access for all the buildings?
Yes, the project will include parking and accessible entrances mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Will Milstead Road be relocated or changed?
It will not be relocated, but will be changed to accommodate a pedestrian passageway.
What security will come with the completed building and surroundings (i.e., the pedestrian passageway)?
We are working with Public Safety to come up with a plan that will ensure the safety of employees and visitors to the building and grounds, including surveillance cameras and sufficient lighting throughout the site.
Will there be retail space included in this project?
At this stage, no. But retail space will be designed so it can be added at a later date.
Parking & Grounds
How many parking spaces will be included in this project?
The parking deck will have 240 spaces; with additional surface lots, there will be at least 330 spaces total (100 more than what is there currently).
Will there be reserved parking?
Yes. Reserved parking for elected officials and reserved secure parking for select staff is currently planned.
Will parking be available for visitors during the construction?
Yes, but locations are not defined at this time, and they will change at least once during construction. We will do our best to communicate in advance the parking options and how and when they will change during construction.
Will there be an outdoor event space included in the project?
Yes, there will be a large open greenspace that can be used for events and other activities.
What else can the greenspace be used for?
Attendees to a Community Session held on Jan. 17 were asked to “vote” among a handful of options for the greenspace. Among the votes, there was an almost equal number of votes for:
- Stage
- Open greenspace
- Public restrooms
- Gardens
- Benches
- Food truck parking space
We are evaluating the feedback and determining the most favored and feasible elements to incorporate into the greenspace.