Continued: U.S. courthouse in St. Paul reopens

A homecoming of sorts quietly took place Monday in St. Paul, where after three years, federal employees returned to work at the newly renovated Warren E. Burger Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse.

Among the improvements to the stately building at 316 N. Robert St. are the addition of four new courtrooms, including a prominent one on the ground floor for special proceedings; a brighter public lobby, and state-of-the art security enhancements.

In all, the building now has 10 district courtrooms and about 180 employees. It was named after Burger, who grew up in St. Paul and was chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1969 to 1986.

David Wilkinson, a spokesman for the federal General Services Administration, developer of the $70 million project, said that one of the goals was to preserve the elegance of the courtrooms and the building while updating security to bring the building in line with 21st century standards.

"When that building was built, there [were] not the controlled traffic patterns, internal traffic patterns that are required today in courthouses," Wilkinson said. "Today, there [are] separate traffic routes for the public and for the judges and court employees, and for individuals who are standing trial for criminal activities." The refurbished federal building has three elevator systems, for instance.

"That has changed the whole flow of the building," he said. "There's great emphasis on trying to make it as open and accessible to the public as possible and still respond to all the current security requirements."

Visitors at the building are sure to notice the bollards -- short, concrete pillars -- near the edge of the street. They're there to thwart terrorist attempts similar to the 1995 deadly truck bombing outside the federal courthouse in Oklahoma City.

Inside, the interior lobby is airy and filled with natural light. Some courtrooms are brand new, others refurbished. The rich furnishings and stately appearance of the older courtrooms have been saved.

U.S. District Judge Richard H. Kyle, who served as the court's liaison on the project, said the original walnut paneling in the old courtrooms had endured much abuse over the years and was refurbished. Burger, he said, would have been proud to see dignity restored to the federal building that bears his name.

"I think he'd be pleased with it," Kyle said. "I think we preserved what this building stood for."

A public ceremony will be held Oct. 2 to rededicate the building.

Allie Shah • 651-298-1550.