Northeast News
Nov. 28, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Jackson County has broken ground on the Eastern Jackson County Courthouse renovation project.

The $6.8 million contract with Excel Constructors of Overland Park, Kan., includes five new courtrooms, a new elevator and the rehabilitation of an existing elevator for the Independence courthouse, 308 W. Kansas Ave. The project also calls for increased security screening capacity and a new accessible entry. The expansion is expected to be completed by December 2015

In a press release on the project, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders said five new courtroom should meet the county’s needs for the next 40 years. The Eastern Jackson County Courthouse was last renovated in the early 1970s. Since then, the population and number of court dockets in Eastern Jackson County has increased. Fewer than one-third of Circuit Court judges work in Independence, but they are responsible for hearing cases for more than half of the population of Jackson County.

“These are renovations that will work both financially for the county as well as long-term for the courthouse in terms of operations,” Sanders said. “If needed in the future, the county could add floors to the building.”

Some of the work is already complete. In January, Jackson County Public Works crews began tuck pointing the exterior of the courthouse, which was last renovated in 1972. Tuck pointing is a process that involves restoring the joints of a building so it is sealed properly and protected from water leaks. A restroom renovation project should be completed by December 2014. Space for the project became available after the county moved Assessment, Collections and Recorder of Deeds departments to the renovated Historic Truman Courthouse in September of 2013.