Hall County rejects standalone 75,000‑square‑foot courthouse plan after cost dispute

Commissioners on the Hall County Board on May 21 debated whether to investigate replacing an attached courthouse addition with a standalone 75,000‑square‑foot, two‑story building, but a motion to proceed with feasibility talks failed after members questioned the price and scope.

Gary Quant urged the board to examine the standalone option, saying, “I would still like to see us go with a 75,000 square foot building, a 2 story building,” arguing it could reduce long‑term disruption and serve the county for decades. Supporters stressed less demolition and fewer unknowns in a new structure.

Opponents pushed back on cost estimates and contingency exposure, with one commissioner warning the $30 million figure could “very well be $45,000,000 without even blinking,” and others pointing to prior proposals that exceeded $80 million for larger schemes. Commissioners also raised site‑work and tunneling concerns that could add to the total project price.

A motion to have the chair appoint a two‑ or three‑member committee to work with Davis Design to evaluate whether a standalone building could be done for the same amount of money was moved and seconded, but the motion failed at the vote. The minutes record the outcome as a motion failure (four no votes, two yes, one absent).

The defeat leaves the county to continue with the existing courthouse expansion approach and the contract process already underway with the construction manager at risk, while commissioners said they will watch budget ranges and the resolution language that sets an “up to” spending threshold.

Next steps: commissioners agreed to await formal resolution language and the CMAR interview and bid process; no immediate change to the ongoing courthouse expansion contract was authorized.