Columbus targets 2030 completion for new $300 million Downtown courthouse

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus is moving ahead with plans to build a new Franklin County Municipal Courthouse after several years of delays, with demolition scheduled for 2026 and construction to wrap by early 2030.

The project, expected to cost about $300 million, would replace the existing courthouse at 375 S. High St., a facility that has served the city since the late 1970s. The new building will be constructed across the street at 410 S. High St., on the site of the James A. Karnes Building and the former Dorrian Commons Park.

City officials submitted updated design plans to the Downtown Commission last month with hopes of securing approval by the end of the year. Under the current schedule, demolition of the existing five-story Karnes Building would begin in March 2026, followed by site clearing and construction later in the year.

Plans call for an eight-story, 340,000-square-foot facility that would house courtrooms, along with administrative offices, clerk services, probation functions, court security and a dedicated workspace for Columbus police personnel. An underground parking area is alco included in the proposal.

Architectural drawings show a modern, glass-heavy design. Columbus-based firm Moody Nolan is leading the design work. The building would also feature a sky bridge connecting the new courthouse to the Franklin County Government Center across South High Street, where several related legal offices are located.

The new courthouse has been in planning stages for more than half a decade. In 2019, Columbus voters approved a $130 million bond issue to help fund the project. Since then, rising construction costs and inflation have pushed the estimated budget higher. In 2024, the city set aside $150 million in its capital budget, through the final costs is still being refined.

Demolition of the Karnes Building and preparation of the nearly two-acre site is expected to take several months, with full clearance projected by late summer 2026. Construction could begin as soon as that fall, depending on regulatory and design approvals. If all goes according to plan, the courthouse would open its doors by early 2030.

The Downtown Commission is scheduled to review the concept plan at its meeting on Tuesday.