DOVER, Del. - A new courthouse is officially open in Dover, giving Kent County Family Court a new home designed around the people who use it.
State and local leaders gathered Thursday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Kent County Family Court on South Governor’s Avenue.
The project comes after years of concerns about the conditions at the former Family Court facility on Court Street.
Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. said the old courthouse presented challenges for people already dealing with difficult and emotional legal matters.
"We were mixing people who were in the middle of a conflagration and emotionally upset. We knew something had to be done and it took a little bit of time. But eventually, we got the attention of the General Assembly," Seitz said.
The new three-story courthouse is 106,711 square feet and includes nine larger courtrooms, along with expanded lobby, security and holding areas. The design also allows for greater separation between opposing parties.
Family Court Chief Judge Michael K. Newell said that separation and the overall environment were important considerations in designing the new building.
"For the type of work that we do with our litigants in terms of hearing some of the most emotionally and traumatic issues, a new building with a lot more dignity for them was very important to me," Newell said.
The new facility replaces the former courthouse, which opened in 1989. According to the court, its caseload has nearly doubled since then, while its jurisdiction has expanded.
William Lenihan of Tevebaugh Architecture, which designed the building, said the project was a collaborative effort.
"Nearly 50 organizations and hundreds of dedicated professionals worked together to create a safe, dignified and welcoming new home for Family Court," Lenihan said.
The new courthouse also includes a 378-space parking garage and space for a potential two-courtroom expansion in the future.
For Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen, the project represents more than a new government building. He said it is also part of the city’s ongoing revitalization efforts.
"This building and the jobs it has created and will create show the commitment to the vision of the revitalization of the heart of the City of Dover," Christiansen said.
The new Family Court is located at 444 S. Governor’s Ave., a block west of the Kent County Courthouse. The former Family Court building at 400 Court Street will revert to state facilities management.
