Fort Worth courtroom construction finally begins

Posted by IronPlanet on May 30, 2012 5:12:00 AM

Ground has finally been broken on the Tarrant County Civil Courts Building in Fort Worth, Texas, more than six years after voters approved the project on a bond issue.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the project has increased in cost since voters first decided on the issue in 2006, rising from $62.3 million to $74.2 million. The reason for the delay has to do with how the building was initially approved - as part of a package with several other projects. City officials told locals they would not raise the tax rate to pay for the projects, but in order to do that, they had to stagger the construction over time.

Now, six years later, the city has the money to approve construction for the 231,934-square-foot building. W.G. Yates & Sons Construction and Vendigm Construction will serve as general contractors for the new courthouse. Since the initial design of the building, new technology has allowed for an increase in the scope of the project, raising the cost. The building will now include an additional floor along with conveniences such as large video screens to show evidence to jurors.

"The extra time allowed flexibility in design," county facilities manager David Phillips told the news source. "We added an expansion space to the building for the Court of Appeals, and we had time to build a full-size mock-up courtroom for the judges' and attorneys' review and critique."

Contractors know that sometimes their projects may be delayed for years before ground is finally broken, as was the case in Fort Worth. However, construction companies still need to ensure their equipment is ready to go at a moment's notice. Those who need affordable construction equipment quickly should consider the online auction site IronPlanet, which offers a wide array of cranes, bulldozers and other equipment backed by IronClad Assurance inspection reports.

Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines