A public hearing was held Thursday on the proposal to find a location for a new courthouse in Springfield.
The state agency which is overseeing the project is looking to work with a private developer to lease either a new building, or a renovated one.
Thomas Ambrosino is the Massachusetts Trial Court's administrator. He says the proposal will not only save the state money but will also allow the project to move faster. That’s because it would not be part of the state's larger capital improvement plan.
"Having it be a public-private partnership means that it will likely get built much faster than if it were purely public construction," Ambrosino said.
Springfield resident Karen Lee spoke out against the plan, and a proposal to build the facility near the Connecticut River. She says she's concerned about the environmental impact and other issues.
"Yes, the riverfront proposal might save two or three years of construction time, but at the expense of 60 years of lease payments and the end-of-life environmental costs, and we still need to remove the Roderick Ireland courthouse," Lee said.
To that point, Lee added she would rather see a new courthouse built at the site of the current courthouse.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, who is a supporter of the riverfront location, spoke in favor of the leasing plan, but did not comment on the location.
The current building has suffered from mold, poor ventilation and other issues, which some workers say have caused health problems for them. The state's asset management board will need to approve the leasing plan.
The hearing Thursday was held by the state’s Department of Capital Asset Management. Written public comments on the proposal may be submitted until Jan. 11. The state's asset management board will need to approve the leasing plan and is expected to take it up Jan. 21. If it approves the idea, a request for proposals soliciting bids from prospective developers could be released this spring.
