Newton District Courthouse
FAST FACTS:
| Project Name: | Newton District Courthouse |
| Location: | Newton, MA |
| Owner: | Division of Capital Asset Management |
| Architect: | Drummey, Rosane Anderson, Inc |
| Scope: | Completely remove entire structure except the exterior walls and roof. Construct all new floor systems, masonry addition, sally port, jail cells, two completely restored Courtrooms, Judges Chamber and all other supporting spaces. Restore all masonry and reconstruct complete new portico, stairs and ramps. |
CHRIS’S PROJECT NOTES
“Located on a main street in an historic district, the 60+ year old courthouse was built as part of a civic complex with the adjacent Municipal Police Station.
Our task was a complete renovation: we completely gutted the entire building including the floor structures, erected all new steel, metal decking and concrete slabs. Precise coordination drawings were a must because this facility required a major amount of MEP equipment in compact concealed spaces.
Gutting the main courtroom required removing and replacing existing millwork, along with the replication of some custom millwork.
The custom work include a newly molded and reconstructed ceiling medallion, benches, rails, witness stands, cabinets, shelves, tables and running trim. All these details really brought out the character of the building.
A major challenge was restoring the main terrace that runs the length of both facilities and is the gateway to the courthouse. We completely rebuilt the terrace along with the addition of two stair towers to accommodate circulation issues. All of the components were custom made of precast colored concrete to match the deficient ornate rail caps, balustrades and treads.
The building elevations required pointing and the replication of cast stone molded plaques. The Commonwealth sets high quality standards on these projects and then you must satisfy the Judge, so perfection is a must.”
