STAUNTON, Va – As early as Wednesday, the City of Staunton will be issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for the design of the City of Staunton Juvenile & Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Court facility.

Staunton’s J&DR District Court currently operates in a consolidated facility with the J&DR District Court of Augusta County, located at 6 East Johnson Street in the City of Staunton. The property is owned and maintained by Augusta County. In November 2022, Augusta County voters approved a referendum to relocate the County’s Circuit and District Courts to a new facility to be constructed in Verona. The anticipated move-in date of the Augusta County Courts to Verona is Fall 2025, according to the county’s project information website and press releases. This move-in date represents the need for a relocation of the City of Staunton Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court facilities to a site owned by the City.

In 2022, the City issued a task order for Thompson & Litton to conduct a Space Needs Assessment for the J&DR District Court.  City staff conducted an exhaustive search of buildings and vacant lots, to purchase within the City limits, that meet the exacting requirements of the space needs assessment. In the end, it was determined that the City-owned Hardy Parking Lot at 1 North Market Street is the preferred location for the Staunton J&DR District Court for many reasons, including its proximity to the City’s Circuit and General District Courts and easy access to public transportation.  Additionally, since the City already owns the property, there will be no site acquisition costs. Finally, the site offers the best option for the City to meet its timeline to construct and own its J&DR District Court facility.  As far as the current parking allocation in the Hardy Lot, any existing parking needing to be reallocated will be determined and addressed during the design phase of the J&DR District Court.

“Augusta County moving their court facilities to Verona opens up a great opportunity for the City of Staunton. We can now provide our J&DR staff with a first-class, state of the art facility in which they can help generations of Staunton families navigate some truly difficult moments,” said City Manager Leslie Beauregard.  As this project progresses, the City will ensure that information regarding the construction schedule will be communicated to those who live, work, and visit downtown, and, in particular, those impacted in the vicinity of the Hardy Lot.

Those interested in submitting an RFP response can review the RFP on the procurement page of the City’s Website at https://www.ci.staunton.va.us/departments/finance/procurement