The site of the future federal courthouse in Harrisburg
And some thought this day would never arrive.
The U.S. government plans to break ground next week on the new federal courthouse in Midtown Harrisburg, according to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. at the site at N. 6th and Reily streets, according to a GSA press advisory.
This doesn’t mean that residents soon will see the 243,000-square-foot structure begin to rise from the ground. Site preparation and utility work will come first, with actual building construction not slated to start until early next year.
In fact, the federal government still hasn’t assembled all the land it needs for the courthouse, particularly along the fringes of the project. Just last night, Harrisburg City Council learned that the federal government is offering $39,000 for two city-owned parcels, 648 and 650 Boyd St., that will be part of the project.
The city acquired those parcels about a decade ago as part of the 7th Street widening project. A vote on that resolution is expected at next week’s legislative session. In the unlikely event that council refuses to sell the land, the federal government would initiate eminent domain proceedings to acquire it, according to the city administration.
The $194 million courthouse will provide eight courtrooms, 11 judges’ chambers and 79 parking spaces on about four acres. After a long site search, the federal government settled on the site across the street from Bethesda Mission in 2010.
Construction should take about three years, with expected completion in 2022.
Following relocation of workers, the federal government plans to sell the current Ronald Reagan Federal Building at N. 3rd and Walnut streets.
