A $144 million new Mendocino County Courthouse in Ukiah is rising alongside railroad tracks crossing Perkins Street, the main corridor that links the commercial core of Ukiah to the Highway 101 freeway.
A formal dedication Wednesday will mark the beginning of work on what is the biggest civic project in the county’s history. At high noon, city, county, and state officials and the public will gather at the historic Ukiah Train Depot to witness what has taken 20 years to become a reality.
State Judicial Council representatives say it will take two years for construction crews to complete a public works project that is expected to pump millions of dollars into the surrounding community, and in effect expand the commercial core of Ukiah with promises of new retail developments and infrastructure improvements along Perkins Street.
Ukiah’s Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley said, “There’s no doubt that we are at a unique point in time where the decisions we make today will dramatically shape the future of our downtown.”
The scale of the new courthouse project is monumental.
– It dwarfs other private and public improvements locally past and present. The state funded project has been 20 years in the making, a stop and go process that survived funding crises, multiple delays, and public debates about the location.
– For the first time since 1860, court functions will be conducted away from the heart of downtown Ukiah, shifting to a site three long blocks away.
– The new courthouse will embrace the latest technologies and meet national standards for ‘green’ public buildings. It will replace a 1950s-era county-owned building which is dated in appearance and function. The current courthouse is out of compliance with current safety, seismic and handicapped accessibility codes. It has been deemed by federal officials as a “high-risk” building because of seismic concerns. The Judicial Council of California in 2023 ranked the new Mendocino County Courthouse as an “immediate need.”
There are lingering public concerns about the facade of the new courthouse, which local critics describe as resembling a “barcode.”
State and local court representatives, however, believe that the perspective will change when trees and native landscaping surround the new courthouse.
Superior Court Executive Kim Turner said the new courthouse will provide a fresh, forward look for Ukiah’s downtown.
“It is a building that will help define the future,” said Turner.
The new three-story courthouse covers 81,169 square feet, and provides seven courtrooms, court-related offices, jury assembly room, attorney/client meeting areas, and separate and secure hallways for in-custody defendants. Adjoining property to the east is owned by the state’s Great Redwood Trail Agency, but previous plans for private development have been abandoned and no longer a priority, according to representatives.
An unresolved issue surrounding the new courthouse is the lack of space for the county District Attorney or Public Defender, two county offices whose daily functions are intertwined with the court system. The DA’s Office is currently located on the bottom floor of the existing courthouse, which once housed all county administrative functions. The Public Defender Office is currently located on School Street a block south of the existing courthouse.
The two county offices eventually may be relocated closer to the new courthouse if private developers step up to provide space, or an existing county-owned building at Perkins and State Street is remodeled to provide the District Attorney Office with a new home. Even so, how to create seamless interaction including transit between the courts and the necessary county office functions remains unclear.
What happens to the current courthouse when the courts relocate in 2027 is also an issue.
The county of Mendocino owns the building and site, but with an estimated $9 million in costs to bring the near 75-year-old structure into compliance with current seismic safety and accessibility standards raises questions for local taxpayers.
One possibility is that the county might deed the site to the City of Ukiah, which favors demolition and relocating the Alex R. Thomas Plaza to the block bounded by State, Perkins, School, and Standley streets.
Deputy City Manager Riley said, “There are a lot of pieces to put together, but it is a serious possibility.”
“For all the reasons that the (current) courthouse was deemed needing replacement and cost prohibitive to repair, it is unlikely that the county will continue it as a workplace,” said Riley.
Riley said she envisions a new Thomas Plaza occupying the historic heart of downtown where the courthouse now stands, with the current city-owned plaza site being developed for commercial purposes, adding an anchor at the southern end of the downtown core.
However, the city’s representative on the county Board of Supervisors said Friday no “formal talks” have occurred between the county CEO, the City Manager’s Office, and court executives.
Supervisor Maureen Mulheren acknowledged there are “many great ideas that have been brought up about the old Courthouse and opportunities at the new site.”
“At this point it’s too soon to start public meetings and discussions” about the fate of the old, said Mulheren.
Relocating the Thomas Plaza is one of two projects besides the courthouse that could reshape Ukiah’s core downtown.
The other focuses on efforts to stabilize and clean up the landmark Palace Hotel, which recently garnered attention from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Palace offers possibilities of a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant, and specialty shops a block north of the old courthouse. Page & Turnbull, a noted San Francisco architectural firm specializing in historic preservation, prepared preliminary plans for such a project at the Palace in 2023 before the then owner Jitu Ishwar scuttled a deal with local investor Minal Shankar.
Riley agrees it is too early to make pronouncements about the Plaza and Palace ideas, but “the possibilities are there. The next few years are going to be exciting times.”
Commercial realtor Todd Schapmire agrees downtown and the Perkins Street corridor seem poised for a new level of activity after years of languishing.
Schapmire and family members were engaged in the sale of a prime corner lot at Perkins and Main streets that is targeted for new student housing for Mendocino College. Old metal buildings dating back to Ukiah’s farm town history are to be torn down to make way for a project expected to infuse the downtown with dozens of youthful occupants of the college housing.
Schapmire also participated in the sale of the former Curry Furniture building on Perkins to the Pinoleville Rancheria, and the purchase of the former Savings Bank branch further east on Perkins to Redwood Credit Union. Renovation of that building into new offices for the credit union is already underway.
“I feel things are better than they were a few years ago when Perkins was a pretty drab entry into downtown Ukiah,” said Schapmire. Homeless issues remain, he said, “but even they seem a bit better.”
The city is investing millions of dollars in public grant money into infrastructure improvements in the downtown area, including a completed streetscape project narrowing State Street down to two lanes through the downtown core, replacement of water and sewer lines, and repaving deteriorating streets. The City Council recently voted to approve increasing a contract with Ghilotti Construction Inc. to $15 million for the “Urban Core Project” for major utility replacement, road rehabilitation, and pedestrian enhancements along the major corridors of Perkins, Gobbi and Main streets.
Even so, the scale of the new courthouse project and its cost dwarfs everything else.
The courthouse is a massive public undertaking utilizing a design/build program that gives the state complete control over what the community will live with for decades to come.
Whatever residents feel about the design or location, the new Mendocino County Courthouse promises to reshape the face of Ukiah from the downtown to the freeway a half mile away.
Deputy City Manager Riley said while the new courthouse is a state project, city and county representatives have been “at the table for nearly two decades.”
“We recognize the importance of this civic anchor in the downtown, and we have expanded significant resources to help ensure that not only it remains downtown but that it is appropriately coordinated with our existing streets and infrastructure,” said Riley.
Perkins Street’s appearance will be improved and drainage issues that have long plagued the thoroughfare will be corrected.
Riley said new commercial development along the Perkins Street corridor will begin to transform what has been a drab entryway into the downtown.
“We are going to see major changes in the next 3-5 years,” predicted Riley.
Riley ticked off changes already under way, or will begin soon:
Mendocino College has purchased the property at the corner of Perkins and Main Street across from the Mendocino County Library for student housing.
The 11,000 square foot former furniture building known as Curry’s is under new ownership, and a project is planned.
Redwood Credit Union is renovating the former Savings Bank branch site on Perkins on the edge of Pear Tree Shopping Center.
Starbucks is building a new drive-through in the Pear Tree parking lot facing Perkins Street.
Hobby Lobby, a nationwide craft store, is taking over the former JC Penney’s store a block off the intersection of Perkins and Orchard streets.
Habit Burger & Grill, started in the 1960s in Santa Barbara, will revamp the decrepit former Denny’s at the southeast corner of Perkins and Orchard. Habit Burger is a nationally acclaimed operation, and its ‘charbroil burger’ 10 years ago was labeled the best in the U.S. by Consumer Reports.
Ukiah’s loss of its redevelopment funding has hampered city development efforts since 2012, when state lawmakers in 2012 ended local redevelopment agencies, and their ability to hold back tax revenue from the state.
Riley said the city’s former Redevelopment Agency had allowed Ukiah to invest in affordable housing, eliminate blight, revitalize commercial areas, and build projects of economic and community importance. She cited as examples the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, the Alex Thomas Plaza, and matching grants for façade improvements.
With the end of redevelopment agencies, Riley said the city’s “lane is more or less reduced to infrastructure.”
Still, that is positive, said Riley, in creating an environment that appeals to developers and investors.
“We are setting the table,” said Riley.
Congratulations, Ukiah!! We are ecstatic and fully support this new Courthouse and all the growth coming in the entire area!! Love it!!
All this development and nothing is being done to make the Perkins St interchange with Highway 101 safer.
They gotta fix up Gobbi first so they can divert traffic there before they disrupt the mighty Perkins St. Plus Habit Burger and Hobby Lobby are going to increase traffic. The post pandemic golden age is fast approaching our near dead town. Rejoice and be merry.
Congratulations City of Ukiah. Lots of positive change in store for the residents of Ukiah after long delays and funding issues. Take this as a win.
So in reading all the new court house stuff, I noticed something missing. The Law library where will it be in this new building?
In a closet somewhere
Student housing at Perkins and Main? That’s a future nightmare. Anyone that has lived in a college community and especially near student housing will know what I mean. Drinking, drugs, loud parties, loud and unsafe driving becomes the norm. Good luck with that Ukiah.
Are you kidding? Mendo College has NO student housing. There has been huge issues in the past with recruited out of state mendo students living in hotels with the homeless. All hail student housing, ANYWHERE, for mendo.
I hope they put in more, I’d rather see JC Penny as a beautiful student housing complex that a hobby lobby
I agree with Morning Magpie.
That’s just mental. It’s not like it’s Chico or something
I was stunned this morning to read that the sage leaders of the City of Ukiah and Mendocino County have hatched a plan to demolish Alex Thomas Plaza to make room for commercial development. I started a petition to oppose this absurd plan, I hope you will read and support it and share. Thanks. https://chng.it/LYc7DRCXTk
In fairness, Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley said the Alex R. Thomas Plaza, a civic gathering place, could be relocated for continued public use at the old courthouse site if the city gains title to the historic property. Only then would the current site be cleared for possible commercial development.
Mike, thank you for your excellent reporting on this and many other important local issues, citizens of Ukiah are indebted to you.
With due respect I’m not sure why you felt the need to clarify this point; you state in the original piece that the county may deed the City of Ukiah the courthouse property and, if it does, the City of Ukiah “favors demolition and relocating the Alex R. Thomas Plaza to the block bounded by State, Perkins, School, and Standley streets.”
Your comment stipulating that Riley said the plaza “could be relocated” is perplexing; can a plaza be “relocated”? Could we also “relocate” the courthouse building itself instead of constructing a new one? “Could be relocated”? That language sounds tentative and intentionally vague. As you well know, we don’t need to accept the city’s characterization of this plan, and I do not. Nothing in that comment changes anything about the description of this misguided idea in the petition I started.
Riley’s comment is cold comfort to those of us who value the current plaza, with its larger space, mature trees and pavilion, and which of course is a mere two short blocks from the courthouse location, well within “the historic heart of downtown” that Riley says is so desirable.
If the intention of the city is to demolish the old courthouse, why wouldn’t it use THAT LOT to seek new commercial development? Why destroy a perfectly attractive and functional plaza? Do you know?
I suspect it would be best if you discussed with Ms. Riley her expressed thoughts. What I heard from her, and others before, is that a courthouse has occupied the historic heart of Ukiah since 1860. The town’s oldest section surrounds the block. Proponents – it is not an idea solely of Ms. Riley – favor creating a Healdsburg-style plaza there. The current Thomas Plaza is a center of public activities but it is not the town’s historic center. Riley and other relocation proponents believe it offers a higher potential for commercial development, perhaps a hotel, according to the theory. If so, a sale could substantially diminish the city’s costs to move the plaza.
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Why demolish the very historic Courthouse that faces School Street? One small piece of lovely architecture from our past? The 1950’s part could/should go, but leave the original part as tribute to when we had an appreciation for architecture.
Perhaps the costs of maintaining an old building outweighs the benefit of just starting over. Not to mention the new design may have a better lay out than the current setup.
*doesn’t outweigh
The current design is ghastly and does not compliment Mendocino County history at all. It is just a sterilized version of 1950’s architecture. Have you ever really looked at the Courthouse from School Street? Why keep destroying our history only to replace it with cold and impersonal structures without charm or personality?
It comes down to costs not to mention the new technological sophistication in newer courthouses.
Oh, so you think $144 Million would not go a long way to build something that had some charm instead of another sterile ugly building? Okay. What does that have to do with not demolishing the original part of the current Courthouse?
This courthouse will be a big investment in the county. Charm is an opinion. If no one can find a use for the old courthouse let alone dumping money into it to update it to modern standards than the building will be replaced for something else.
Haven’t you ever rearranged the furniture in your house to make the energy flow better? Sometimes it takes time to get used to, but it works better in the end. I for one, LOVE rearranging. All hail the revamp Ukiah needs!!
As a housewife, I absolutely love rearranging things and making a house a home. I’m all about the revamp. Let’s do this sh!t. Perkins is the core to getting people downtown
All hail any student housing anywhere. People from the coast need it.
He’ll yes, goodbye old savings bank from my youth.
Hallelujah, El Mocajete with charging stations.
Praise the sale of Currys Furnitue
Usher in a massive Perkins/101 ramp revamp.
Praise be to Habbit Burger! Chipotle get ready for the overflow! McDonald’s, you should just be a play place!
I adore seeing the Old JC Penny carpet piled up and ready for removal right in front if God and all!
And please. My dying wish. REclaim the pedestrian overpass. THE POWER OF (CHRIST) COMPELS YOU. Reclaim the pedestrian overpass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just great.Do we really need hobby lobby?
No. And unless they rejected the original design it will be an abomination.
Starbucks, really? Worst coffee in the world. Waste of space.
It’s possible that Starbuck’s going in the Pear Tree Center would cause them to close the one across from Burger King. Which would be a good thing, the traffic congestion caused by people making a left turn to go to Starbuck’s and the freeway exiting is very dangerous.
So fancy. Ever go in to the current courthouse? Nothing going on. Lines of legal assistants in the clerk’s office. Poulation way down. Lotta empty space. The temporary boost from out of area contractors. Redwood Credit Union wanted the corner where the student housing is now approved. Why is student housing so far from the campus?
Putting housing several miles way from most of the walking, dinning, shopping, and entertainment venues will encourage more commuting via car. There would also be more need for parking spaces and additional infrastructure around the college. Housing close to everything like the downtown core would bring life back to the center of Ukiah not to mention people can walk or bike to most of the venues in town. It would be a boon for city sale taxes.
As far as I know, most junior colleges do not provide student housing. Maybe because student housing does require some supervision, thus it takes more money in terms of administrative and employment costs. Since this plan will impact the “heart of Ukiah”, a better grasp on the college’s plans would be nice to know. Also, if the student housing goes through as planned, it seems like a good idea to also plan amenities for students, such as cafes and bakeries they might like, coffee shops and hangouts. Installing a high-rise hotel at Alex Plaza is not in line with these other plans. Let’s face it, Ukiah is not exactly a destination, but it would benefit us to have some more quality food choices and places young people can go. School St. could really profit from that.
Visualize a moment. There is minimal walking distance office space or eateries near the new courthouse location. Not many shade opportunities on the walkways vs School and Oak Street mature shade trees. It will be interesting to see what happens to the art council housed in the depot once the courthouse opens. Student housing. We do not have late or weekend public transportation. What will the population of this housing be? Singles, families, dorm style?
This is a travesty, a first rate boondoggle. It will kill the downtown area around the existing courthouse
$150 million?? Think how much meth that could buy our local tweakers who will soon be ravaging school street and crapping in the bushes of the building they know so well. Believing that this works out long term for a historic downtown is wishful thinking.