Justice has a new home in Geauga County, as officials cut the ribbon on the Geauga County Courthouse expansion April 7.
Justice has a new home in Geauga County, as officials cut the ribbon on the Geauga County Courthouse expansion April 7.
While plans for a courthouse expansion have been in the public consciousness for years, the modern project traces its roots to a 2020 lawsuit filed by the City of Chardon.
As part of a 2022 settlement, the county agreed to spend a minimum of $15 million to renovate the building.
The project included significant security upgrades, such as soundproofing, ballistic paneling, a sally port, holding cells and secure parking for judges and magistrates. Over its multi-year span, the project also involved a number of change orders.
Commissioners Media Specialist Max Yost said in a March 30 email the final project cost and number of change orders have not yet been finalized, as an additional change order is expected at the end of April.
“We are finally here after two years,” Infinity Construction Project Manager Brett Bestgen told the gathered crowd. “No more blocking roads, loud noises, weird smells, taking up all the parking on the square.”
Following the ceremony, guests gathered at Heritage House for remarks from state, county, city and court officials, along with refreshments.
Commissioner Jim Dvorak opened with a prayer, thanking God for the resources, wisdom and strength to complete the project.
“We thank you for the safety and protection you provided for every tradesperson, keeping them from harm,” he said. “We are grateful for your hand over every detail. From the foundation to the final stone, we pray this building serves its purpose well. This new addition will be devoted to only one thing for many years, and that is the pursuit of justice.”
In connecting the old building to the new, the courthouse is where history meets the future, he said.
Despite the courthouse’s long history, much remains unchanged, 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Eugene Lucci said.
“In July of 1868, a fire consumed this entire square,” he said. “The courthouse, the jail, every building on Main Street, gone.”
Although Chardon’s future as the county seat was briefly uncertain, within six months a local newspaper reported the town was rising from the ashes, he said.
“There is a word for what Chardon demonstrated in 1868 and has demonstrated again and again across more than two centuries. Resilience,” he said. “This expansion project required that same quality. It was not without controversy. Residents cared deeply about this square. Historic preservation was not a talking point, it was a genuine community value.”
Lucci congratulated the county, saying officials “did it right.”
Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand reflected on his family’s connection to the courthouse, noting his grandfather once served as head of maintenance and manually adjusted the building’s clock twice a year.
Hildenbrand said he also worked in the building as a child, emptying trash cans and ashtrays.
“As we know, times have changed dramatically over the years,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have to provide much more security and be more cautious of everybody that walks through those doors.”
The new addition significantly improves safety for everyone who enters the courthouse, the sheriff said.
Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri said the project followed years of discussion about whether to expand the existing building or construct a new facility elsewhere off the square.
“Our county administrator and I had contacted (retired) Judge (David) Ondrey and we came to the courthouse and went to his office to walk in, and sitting behind him was this huge painting of the courthouse,” he said. “And I turned around to (former County Administrator) Gerry Morgan and I said, I think we got our answer here of where this building — it’s not gonna be at the 35 acres (on South Street), but rather, here.”
Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Paschke said conversations about expanding the courthouse date back more than 30 years to when she first began practicing law in Geauga County.
“This building that was built and finished in 1870 was just not suitable for modern security,” she said. “It wasn’t very functional for us. We had people sharing offices, we had people working in rooms that were intended to be closets.”
An update was needed and it is gratifying to see the project completed, she said, thanking those who helped shape it.
“This is your building,” she said to county residents. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work in this building, in this new, safe, functional and comfortable courthouse. We will work hard to provide professional, efficient justice worthy of this building and worthy of this great county.”
Emily Dilorio, representing U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, presented a certificate on his behalf.
“The expansion of the Geauga County Courthouse represents a major investment in the county’s future,” she said. “As the community grows, this project will enhance the functionality, accessibility and efficiency of the county courthouse operations.”
Dilorio said the project reflects the county’s ongoing commitment to improving resources for residents.
Similarly, U.S. Congressman Dave Joyce, a former Geauga County prosecutor, presented a proclamation and a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol.
“I spent 29 years in the courthouse between four years as public defender and 25 as the county prosecutor, and we needed this building for a long time,” he said. “So I commend the commissioners for finally getting the job done.”
State Sen. Sandra O’Brien, a Geauga county native, also presented a proclamation from the Ohio Senate recognizing the project’s impact and the considerable resources that were invested in it.
“All of those associated with the expansion of the Geauga County Courthouse are to be commended for their dedication to updating the structure while maintaining its character and legacy, and thanks to their support this public facility can more effectively meet the needs of its employees and visitors,” she said.
County Administrator Amy Bevan said the ceremony was not only a christening of the new building, but reflected a renewed partnership between the county and city of Chardon, thanking both entities for their collaboration.
“Quite simply put, we could not have done this without you,” she said. “Days like today are energizing when you see what’s possible when alignment replaces silos. You start to realize that this is really just the beginning. There is far more ahead of us than behind us.”
