News: Bloomington, Hennepin County OK plan to move district court facility to city campus

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Contact: Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969

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Bloomington, Hennepin County working toward district court move to city campus

This week, the Bloomington City Council agreed to a letter of intent with Hennepin County to relocate Fourth District Court facilities from the county's Southdale Regional Center to the Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road. The letter of intent signals the city’s strong interest in locating the court facilityin theBloomington Civic Plaza and will support Hennepin County District Court services to be conducted there.

Civic Plaza is the 10-year-old building at Old Shakopee Road and 98th Street that currently houses Bloomington’s city offices, the Bloomington Police Department and the Center for the Arts. 

Next, the City and County will turn their attention to formalizing a development agreement and a lease agreement. These agreements will also be subject to County Board and City Council approval.

Vision for a new facility

Designs are not fully developed, but likely will include a two-story, 28,000 square foot addition, built on the southwest end to accommodate the court facilities. The city will share operating and maintenance costs, and provide property management functions.

"This is an important step forward," said County Board Chair Jan Callison. "It will permit us to continue to provide these significant  regional services in a way that is cost-effective and accessible for our local partners. I want to thank the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington City Council for working with us on this project."

Preliminary plans are for a court facility with its own entrance and clear signage to differentiate it from city offices. Amenities will include: 

  • Weapons screening and an optimally-sized lobby
  • Adequate space for stakeholders and offices for proper workflow 
  • Space to expand e-hearings and electronic service delivery for court filings
  • Free parking and direct access to bus lines 

To prevent service interruptions, the Southdale Regional Center location will remain open until the new space is availableThe new location will continue to serve Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, St. Louis Park and Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. The target completion date is in 2017. 

“District Court looks forward to a new facility in southern Hennepin County," said Judicial District Administrator Kate Fogarty

Part of a larger plan

This project is part of a multifaceted effort to relocate the county’s service center and district court facilities from the current Southdale Regional Center, to enable redevelopment of the site at 7009 York Avenue South in Edina; the county will work with the cities of Edina, Richfield and Bloomington on a mixed use development that will include a new library. Beginning in early 2016, residents can purchase tabs, renew drivers' licenses, and more at a new service center at Southdale Shopping Center. 

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Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.