Alamance County staff outline $37 million courthouse plan, warn financing will require new revenue

County staff on Monday presented details of a proposed $37,000,000 courthouse addition intended to relieve overcrowding and create secure circulation for judges and defendants.

Brian, a county project presenter, told the Board that plans call for a three‑story addition with four new courtrooms and roughly 9,000 square feet of office space. "We're really trying to stay on on that $37,000,000 number," Brian said, describing the design as conceptual and stressing that detailed design work will take much of 2025.

Staff said the county has set aside about $15,000,000 toward the project and would need to borrow the remaining roughly $22,000,000. At an estimated 5% interest rate, staff calculated annual debt service of about $2,121,000. Borrowing for the remaining balance would likely occur in fiscal year 2026–27, staff said.

The county is seeking a construction manager-at-risk to join early so builders can help refine costs and keep the project near its target. Brian said early contractor involvement "is gonna help us dial in the numbers, make sure that what we're designing is something we can afford."

Commissioners pressed staff for greater cost detail. One commissioner said the $37 million figure felt like a "black box" and asked for a breakdown of the spending into "buckets" (site work, new construction, renovation, contingencies) to explain the difference between prior estimates and the current proposal. "If we're gonna come to it 37,000,000 at the price of a 0.84¢ tax increase, I'm not in favor of that," the commissioner added.

Other board members and a juror who spoke during discussion raised operational concerns such as parking and accessibility. A commissioner asked how the addition would affect current parking and whether the county would acquire additional properties; staff said one house on the southwest corner of the lot had already been demolished and that they are working with neighbors on options but had no final plan to present.

Staff emphasized that many design decisions remain unresolved: the project team is reviewing stair locations, public circulation, and which functions will move from the existing courthouse into the addition. The county will include the courthouse financing discussion as part of next year’s budget process; staff reminded the board that the capital budget and operating budget adoption will occur during June meetings, with a public hearing scheduled for June 2.

Next steps: staff will continue design work through 2025, pursue a construction manager-at-risk, and return with more detailed cost breakdowns and financing proposals before any borrowing or tax changes are finalized.