As population heads skyward, so does new Washington County courthouse

Ankle-deep mud. Sparks flying from welders' torches. Wind whistling through skeletons of steel beams. A yellow crane groaning under the weight of a 20-ton concrete slab being fitted to a wall.

And the view of the St. Croix River valley from the top of Washington County's $59.6 million campus expansion?

Priceless.

For construction watchers, here's the latest: Up and up it goes. Stillwater's tallest building -- at five stories -- is now about 30 percent finished. When completed next March, the expansion will feature 12 new and remodeled courtrooms, improved family and juvenile courts, a modern 911 call center, a law self-help center for Washington County residents and a merging of Internet technology data centers.

Washington County is nearing a quarter million residents and projects 140,000 more by 2025. "Whether we like it or not, it comes with more of a need for county services," said Don Theisen, the county's public works director and lead engineer.

The expansion addresses the need for better security in the courts and in escorting prisoners from the county jail, Theisen said. Prisoners will be taken to the courts in secure elevators. A separate tunnel is being built for juveniles to keep them segregated from adult prisoners, he said.

Before construction began last year, the county's 28-acre campus on the border of Stillwater and Oak Park Heights had two separate buildings. The Government Center housed county offices and the courts, while the nearby Law Enforcement Center was home to the Sheriff's Office, the 911 center and the jail.

The new five-story courts addition will link the two buildings. Three more stories are being added atop the Law Enforcement Center, while significant remodeling is taking place in the north wing of the Government Center.

County commissioners have yet to vote on a proposal to remodel the south wing.

Theisen said the county attorney's office will be moved closer to the sheriff and his staff. Attorneys and judges will have more conference space. A special courtroom being built in the Law Enforcement Center portion of the expansion will allow judges to hear arraignments in close proximity to the jail.

The expansion has aesthetic and energy features, as well, such as atrium-style public areas and windows designed to withstand an F3 tornado.

The new and improved county campus should take care of government growth until 2025, Theisen said. For example, it will leave space for six more courtrooms to be finished later. Buildings constructed in the 1970s and 1980s -- now somewhat outmoded and often overcrowded -- were built for growth and served the county well, he said.

Kevin Giles • 651-298-1554