State requests $8 million to finish White River Junction courthouse renovation; $2.5 million bank repair pushed to future

Buildings and General Services asked the Capital Budget Committee on Jan. 31 to add $8 million to the White River Junction Courthouse project so renovation work underway can be completed.

Joe Ajah, director of design and construction for Buildings and General Services (BGS), said the project has been under way for several years, paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now under construction. BGS has appropriated $7.5 million to date and is requesting an additional $8 million for fiscal year 2026 to finish mechanical upgrades, interior renovations and a small secure entry expansion that Ajah said is needed because security procedures have changed since the building was constructed.

The scope includes replacement or major overhaul of air handlers, chillers and boilers, insulation and interior repairs where ceilings and some walls are being removed to fit new equipment, and a modest expansion at the front entry to create a secure entry point for court users and staff. Ajah said the project team removed a proposal to take the exterior brick off and replace it with an outside-insulation system after evaluating appearance and cost; instead, they will insulate from the inside and reinstall interior finishes. He said contractors developed flashing details to correct water intrusion around windows.

Ajah said the total estimated project cost without a separate river-bank stabilization item is $18.5 million. He told the committee the $8 million request would allow the team to complete the building renovations and cover lease and utility costs for temporary space while court operations remain displaced. “We have to stop the project,” Ajah said when asked what would happen if the requested funds are not obtained.

Separately, BGS identified an unstable river bank about 100 feet from the building. Geotechnical work showed the slippage is more extensive than initially believed; BGS plans to ask for a $2.5 million appropriation for bank stabilization in a future biennium, Ajah said.

Ajah told the committee that previous work over multiple fiscal years has provided design and preconstruction funding; a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) is expected soon and change orders are anticipated. He said the $8 million request covers the current bid package and associated lease costs, but that the GMP could alter the final amount.

Committee members pressed for a schedule and were told that, by avoiding full exterior brick demolition and relying on interior insulation and other adjustments, the project could be completed as soon as late fall 2025. Ajah said the bank-stabilization work is not included in the current request and would be pursued separately.

The committee did not take a vote at the hearing. Ajah and staff said they would provide the GMP and other project details as they become available.