Published: November 21, 2008 10:58 pm         

Ceremony marks construction of new federal courthouse

TERRE HAUTE — A crowd huddled beneath a cold tent Friday afternoon on Ohio Street as officials said they hope a future courthouse will not only serve the community, but also will help with the city’s development.

“For those of you who thought it would be a cold day in Terre Haute before they built another government building … you were right,” joked Judge Larry McKinney, U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Indiana, noting the cold temperatures.

McKinney and others participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for a new federal courthouse at 921 Ohio St. Officials hope to open the courthouse in July.

The new courthouse will be 14,310 gross square feet with brick and stone facade. It will replace the U.S. Post Office and Federal Courthouse at Seventh and Cherry streets, which will be renovated and become part of Indiana State University.

Local developer Thompson Thrift is building the new facility and will lease the property to the federal government for 20 years at $570,598 per year, according to a fact sheet provided by the U.S. General Services Administration.

James Handley, regional administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, said “it’s not our standard project.”

Typically, the government builds its own buildings, he said, but with more than 1,000 government-owned properties in this region, officials felt a lease would be better use of tax dollars.

Tenants of the building will include the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and District Court, the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Attorney and probation department.

Mayor Duke Bennett said that Friday was a “great day for Terre Haute,” calling the new project “another beautiful building for Terre Haute.”

Paul Thrift of Thompson Thrift recalled going to Washington, D.C., with former U.S. Congressman Ed Pease to talk about what was then an inevitable move from the Cherry Street location.

“There’s a lot to be excited about,” he said, echoing comments from Bennett and others that the new courthouse should spark more development on the city’s east edge.

Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.