The Caldwell County Project Development Board added two more locations to its shortlist for the community’s future judicial center, bringing the total under consideration to five.
At Monday night’s meeting, Board Chair and Judge-Executive Kota Young presented the two new site proposals for the judicial center, including a submission from resident and business owner, Phillip VanHooser, for properties at 103, 105, and 107 East Green Street in Princeton, for a purchase price of $624,500.
click to download audioIn response to a question about the lot size, Young noted that the total property is less than one acre, according to the survey.
The second proposal presented by Young was from Dan Hughes, president of D&L Properties South, Inc., and includes acreage on Linton Way.
Young explained the property’s location.
click to download audioWith the two new submissions, the total number of judicial center site proposals is now five. Three earlier proposals were unveiled at a February 10th public hearing: properties owned by Teresa Glass Jones at 108, 110, and 112 West Market Street, priced between $450,000 and $575,000; the Butler campus, appraised at $1.98 million; and 4.31 acres at 1290 U.S. 62 West owned by Jenny Clark, with an initial asking price of $750,000.
After presenting the two new site proposals, the Board moved into executive session to discuss property acquisition, but no action was taken when the Board returned to open session.
The Kentucky General Assembly approved the new state-of-the-art judicial center as part of the Judicial Branch’s 2024-2026 budget. Caldwell County will own the facility, but construction and maintenance costs will be funded by the Administrative Office of the Courts through the state’s judicial budget. The project is estimated at $33.1 million, with the state providing full funding through annual debt service payments of up to $2.8 million.
The next Caldwell County Project Development Board meeting will be on Monday, April 6, at 6:00 p.m. at the Caldwell County Circuit Court Annex.
