Homepage > Public Safety > Municipal Court > Municipal Courthouse Project

Municipal Courthouse Project

Wide View - Westminster Municipal Center - City Hall-Police-Library

Municipal Courthouse Project

The City is designing a replacement Municipal Courthouse. The current municipal court is more than 60 years old. Originally constructed as two smaller buildings, which served as City Hall and the police station, the two buildings were merged to form the existing facility over multiple renovations and additions.

Because it wasn’t purpose-built as a courthouse, the Court faces many challenges in its daily operations. It lacks standard safety and security features for modern courthouses and accessibility is inadequate because most of the buildings were constructed before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed.

Our goal is to design a courthouse that is safe, secure, and accessible for visitors and staff, and can meet the needs of our community now and into the future.


What's happening now?

We are excited to announce a significant step forward in our commitment to enhancing the services that our municipal courthouse provides. Over the past several months, our city has diligently considered and reviewed numerous proposals for the replacement of the existing courthouse. This process involved careful evaluation of various options to ensure that we make a financially responsible decision that aligns with the needs of our community.

After a thorough review process, we have selected a design and architectural engineering team that brings decades of experience and expertise to the table. This marks a crucial milestone in our investment in public safety that creates a modern, efficient, and accessible courthouse that better serves the residents of Westminster. 

We are confident that this replacement project will not only address the current challenges of the existing courthouse, but also pave the way for a safe, secure, and accessible facility for the community.


Engaging the Community

The City is committed to engaging the surrounding community about the municipal courthouse project. We are focused on actively engaging homeowners, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and residents, ensuring the community is informed and their voice is incorporated into the final design.

To achieve this, the City is introducing a Community Advisory Team (CAT) tasked with advising the municipal courthouse project team on the aesthetics, appearance, and community amenities of the new building and surrounding site.

In addition to the CAT, the city is  committed to providing various opportunities for public engagement for our entire community, including surveys, open houses, and online platforms.

We look forward to the community's involvement throughout the design process and look forward to keeping you updated on the progress of this exciting initiative.


Project Timeline

How did we get here?

A Municipal Court study was conducted in 2022 to evaluate the building and determine the improvements needed to bring the building up to modern safety, security, and ADA standards, while also meeting the operational needs of the court.

At the December 12, 2022 City Council Pre/Post Briefing Meeting, Westminster City Council received a briefing on the study and was presented with three options for the future of the court: 

  • Continue to operate the Municipal Court as-is
  • Begin design of a major renovation to the courthouse
  • Begin design of a new purpose-built courthouse

Based on the information presented from the study, City Council gave staff direction to move forward with the design of a new building. More information about this decision can be found in the Documents section below.

 

Location

The new Court is anticipated to be designed on the existing courthouse site.  

Current Municipal Court address: 

Westminster Municipal Court
3030 Turnpike Drive
Westminster, CO 80030

Google map image of current Municipal Court location

Building History

  • The Municipal Court was originally constructed as two separate buildings in 1961 — City Hall and the police station.
     
  • In 1972 an addition was constructed to the north of City Hall, which also included a courtyard between City Hall and the addition.
     
  • In 1974 an infill project converted the courtyard between City Hall and the Municipal Center into additional interior offices.
     
  • In 1991 an addition connected the Municipal Building to the police station, and the entire building was repurposed for its current use as a Municipal Court. Holding cells were also added to the basement during this period.

Documents

Second Reading of Councillor's Bill No. 38: Authorizing Certificates of Participation
August 28, 2023
Agenda

First Reading of Councillor's Bill No. 38: Authorizing Certificates of Participation
August 14, 2023
Agenda

Potential Inclusion of the Community Reach Center in the New Municipal Court
July 24, 2023
Agenda

Contract Delivery Method Selection
June 5, 2023
Agenda
Agenda support documents: 

Artaic Group – Owner's Representative Contact
May 8, 2023
Agenda
Agenda support documents: 


Financing Options
May 1, 2023
Agenda
Agenda support documents: 

Court Study Presentation
December 12, 2022
City Council Post Meeting Agenda
Agenda support documents: 

Community Advisory Team flyer - distributed to near neighbors January 29 - February 8

Sign Up for Updates