COLUMBUS — Franklin County Municipal Court postponed hearings this week after weekend flooding added to a long list of problems inside the aging downtown courthouse.
Court staff and judges issued an 11-page statement expressing concern that planned renovations cannot fix the safety and accessibility problems in the existing building. Elevators frequently break down and trap people inside, they said, while the fire alarm system and security equipment are aging, electrical wiring sometimes smokes and plumbing problems have caused leaks.
City fire inspectors found 33 code violations in the courthouse on Aug. 7 and Aug. 19, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The courthouse was built in 1979, and maintenance has frequently been deferred in anticipation of a new building. Court officials said they could not say whether the building’s ongoing issues contributed to the weekend flooding.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office directed questions about the water infrastructure to Columbus Water and Power. The court’s statement adds pressure on city leaders as they weigh how long the current building can keep operating before a replacement is finished.
