Replacement Courthouse Project

Clackamas County residents will soon have a safe and secure place to seek justice.

April 2, construction photo

Construction progress on April 2, 2025  
View previous construction photos

Construction of the new 257,000 square-foot Clackamas County Courthouse on the county’s Red Soils campus in Oregon City is set to be completed May 2025. 

The new courthouse building and facilities will replace the current courthouse that was built in 1936 and designed to serve a population of less than 50,000. Clackamas County’s population now exceeds 430,000 and continues to grow. The new and energy-efficient replacement courthouse is designed to provide significantly more room and security for courthouse staff and visitors, and to serve the community for many decades to come. The new courthouse will include: 

  • 16 courtrooms
  • Jury assembly and grand jury spaces
  • 20 judicial chambers
  • Safe corridors for courthouse users
  • Offices for the district attorney
  • Secure holding cells
  • Improved prisoner transfer facilities
  • New home of the law library 

 
Lady Justice moves to new Clackamas County Courthouse.

An innovative project 

This project not only embodies innovation in construction and environmental sustainability but also sets a precedent for future developments within Oregon and beyond. By integrating advanced green technologies, prioritizing security without sacrificing openness, and fostering strong community and statewide support, the courthouse project is on track to deliver a modern facility. Upon completion, it will not only serve the immediate needs of Clackamas County but also showcase the benefits of collaboration, efficiency, and sustainability in public projects. 

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Factsheets

Summer 2024 | Fall 2023 | Summer 2023 | Spring 2023 | February 2023

Videos

Full Speeches

Interviews

Artist Rendering Virtual Tour

The current courthouse is no longer adequate to meet our needs

Earthquake danger

Earthquake Risks
A 2015 seismic evaluation found the existing courthouse has numerous structural deficiencies. Soil tests indicate the ground under the building could liquefy during an earthquake. The courthouse is currently 3 feet from the Willamette River and cannot be seismically retrofitted or modified to modern standards.

Risk of electric shock

Safety Concerns
There are significant safety concerns due to failing building systems. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are functionally obsolete and in some cases beyond repair.

Prisoner in a cage

Security Challenges
A capacity shortage in the current courthouse highlights the need for separate building "circulation zones". The current courthouse lacks separate paths for victims, witnesses, and detainees/defendants. Jurors have no sequestration room on site, increasing the risk of improper communications.

Judge

Delays in Justice
With the current courthouse, the gap between space availability and judicial needs leads to delays in justice. The existing courthouse cannot handle the demands of our population, which has led to delays in trials and incarcerations, and affected child support hearings and civil litigation trials.

We are invested and moving forward

Clackamas County leadership breaking ground at the new courthouse location

The replacement courthouse is now being built on the county's Red Soils Campus in Oregon City.

Hand holding key 
We own the land.

Architect holding plans 
Our approved campus master plan includes the new courthouse.

Plumbing 
We proactively installed utility infrastructure.

Clackamas County’s Commitment

Building a new courthouse aligns with all five strategic priorities in Clackamas County’s Performance Clackamas plan and goals on Climate Action.

Build public trust through good government

Build public trust through good government

Clackamas County provides a variety of services, and responsible use of public dollars is always at the front of our mind. We know trust begins with transparency, and we commit to providing updates during each phase of the project.

Grow a vibrant economy

Grow a vibrant economy

In addition to jobs provided during construction, courthouses include a variety of public safety, administration, and social services careers. Courts also resolve business agreements and property transactions that help keep the economy moving.

Build a strong infrastructure

Build a strong infrastructure

Long-term investments like the courthouse will last for decades, improving the experience for hundreds, and sometimes thousands of residents, community members, public safety officials, and victims that enter the courthouse each day.

 

Ensure safe, healthy, and secure communities

Ensure safe, healthy, and secure communities

It’s the job of the courthouse to ensure everyone receives their day in court. Trial delays, proximity between the accused and their accusers, and hallways shared by criminal defendants and the public are just a few examples of the overwhelming public safety need.

Honor, utilize, promote, and invest in our natural resources

Honor, utilize, promote, and invest in our natural resources

Clackamas County views public infrastructure investments through a lens of carbon neutrality, which includes the buildings we own and operate. A new courthouse allows the county to step closer to carbon neutrality by pursuing climate friendly building materials like cross-laminated timber and carbon neutral energy resources like solar power.  

 

Courthouse FAQ

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Our current courthouse is outdated, and was originally designed with a single courtroom and county offices. It has been remodeled countless times to accommodate 11 courtrooms.

Further, it was not built to modern seismic standards, and retrofitting for seismic events is not a prudent decision if it no longer meets the needs of the community. A recent appraisal indicates the building is at the end of its economic life. The building also forces victims of violence to come into contact in hallways with the same people who committed crimes against them. This is intimidating for witnesses and victims, and creates an overall safety issue for all courthouse users.

Lastly, because of the safety issues, the county is requesting half of the construction costs for the new courthouse from the State, creating a one-time opportunity to get this accomplished at minimal cost to the residents of Clackamas County.

Please see the Project Fact Sheet for more.

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The 215,000-square-foot courthouse will have:

  • 14 courtrooms
  • 20 judicial chambers
  • Offices for the District Attorney
  • Secure loading and staging areas
  • Improved prisoner transfer facilities
  • Jury assembly and grand jury spaces
  • Safe corridors for courthouse users
  • Secure holding cells for violent offenders

The new courthouse design integrates into the existing 68-acre Red Soils Campus and takes a forward-thinking approach to operations, security, technology, and sustainability. The courthouse providing full court services will balance public accessibility, building occupant security, operational efficiencies, and the incorporation of proven technological developments, to provide a facility that is functionally advanced.

The courthouse design will embody the ideals of our democratic society through the creation of an image that is permanent, solid, and durable while simultaneously reflecting the transparency that is the hallmark of the American justice system.

The interior design vision emerged from the simultaneous consideration of interior wayfinding, operational clarity, user wellness, and trauma-informed design. The new courthouse design is defined by an abundance of daylight with uninterrupted views providing a powerful connection to the outdoors to support the principles of trauma-informed design by engaging people’s natural affiliation for nature and views.

Plus, by moving to the Red Soils Campus, courthouse users will now only be steps away from departments such as: Social Services; Behavioral Health; Public Health; Juvenile; Veterans Services; and the Family Justice Center. This means that people don’t have to drive all over town to access the various functions of county government, and proximity will improve efficiency and collaboration between these different public service agencies.

  • This project will also provide a big boost for the local economy.
  • It will create local jobs with competitive wages, and provide opportunities for local labor and businesses.
  • Clackamas Progress Partners are committed to hiring local disadvantaged, minority-owned, women-owned and service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses.
  • This project also supports the county’s Climate Action Plan.
  • The County’s “Performance Clackamas” is looking for carbon neutral operations by 2050, while Oregon’s Climate Action Plan looks for a 45% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2035.
  • Combatting climate change is a clear, stated priority for the County. The courthouse design has incorporated an aggressive decarbonization strategy that minimizes carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions from resource use.
  • Carbon emissions have been reduced by 35% as compared to the highly efficient Oregon minimally code compliant baseline. Beyond simply saving annual energy, carbon and energy cost, the courthouse design decreases the County’s exposure to a potentially volatile energy market.
  • Design selections made by Clackamas Progress Partners in collaboration with Clackamas County focus on operations, security, technology, and sustainability.
  • Best-practices in use of materials, systems and energy efficiency are embedded within the design to attain LEED Version 4.1 Gold Certification, which is the next generation standard for green building design, construction, operations and performance.
  • The courthouse project is participating in the Oregon Green Energy Technology in Public Buildings program, which will include technology to produce at least 25-percent of the building energy onsite.
  • The use of mass timber adds to our sustainability commitment and will bring an immediate connection to Oregon as community members enter the courthouse.
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No. Simply put, we need more space for enough judges and courtrooms — right now we have enough of a population for three additional judges to handle, but we have no space for them or courtrooms, which leads to serious delays in justice.

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A new courthouse will:

  • Improve safety, as the current courthouse was never designed to have so many courtrooms therefore victims of violence are forced to come into contact in hallways with the same people who committed those crimes
  • Create a more responsive and efficient local justice system, greater measures of safety for victims, and increased accessibility
  • Place residents steps away from other important co-located services, such as social services, behavioral health, public health, and more.
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The county plans to build the new courthouse on the county’s Red Soils Campus in Oregon City by 2025. That will meet projected county needs for the next 50 years and comply with specifications outlined by the Oregon Judicial Department.

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Yes. There are two distinct types of juvenile proceedings: delinquency and dependency. The new courthouse will hold both types of court proceedings.

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Yes! Rather than being located in downtown Oregon City with extremely limited parking options, the new courthouse will have access to public transit and free parking. The county will comply with all Oregon City parking requirements for the campus.

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The future of the Main Street courthouse has not been determined by the Board of County Commissioners at this time, although a committee made up of members from Oregon City and the County is preparing a report to provide recommendations to help guide the Board’s decisions.

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A P3 (Public-Private Partnership) is a contractual agreement between a public agency—in this case, Clackamas County—and a private entity, Clackamas Progress Partners, where the private sector assumes significant responsibility for designing, building, financing, operating, and maintaining a public infrastructure project, such as the Clackamas County Circuit Courthouse. This model employs a holistic approach that unites a diverse team comprising the concessionaire (financer), designer, builder, lenders, and maintenance and operations providers into a single, cohesive consortium. The private entity shares the risks and rewards with the public entity. This partnership enables the private sector to contribute capital and expertise to public projects, fostering innovation and efficiency. Additionally, the integration of the client’s stakeholders and user groups during the design development phases is essential to align the technical provisions of the contract with the detailed requirements of the overall project program.

Clackamas Progress Partners is comprised of Fengate, PCL Investments, PCL Construction, DLR Group, and Honeywell.

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Courthouse Construction BUDGET Summary*

CategoryAmount
Eligible for State Match 
Construction (PCL/Fengate)282,559,600
Related Construction: 
Oregon City System Development Charges4,800,000
Professional Services Consulting2,000,000
Inspection/Indep. Bldg Inspector Contract550,000
Central Utility Plan Improvements**6,300,000
Parking Lot F & Loop Road*8,600,000
Hiefield Court Improvements150,000
Related Construction Subtotal22,400,000
Eligible for State Match Subtotal304,959,600
  
Not Eligible for State Match 
Redland/213 Intersection (estimate)8,000,000
Beavercreek/213 Intersection40,400
District Attorney Space in Courthouse16,500,000
Relocation of Behavior Health Clinics***12,000,000
Sheriff's Office additional 13 FTE/year3,600,000
Not Eligible for State Match Subtotal40,140,400
PROJECT TOTAL345,100,000
State Contribution (capped amount)139,100,000
County Costs206,000,000

* Amounts above reflect the budget; actuals may be differ 
** Estimated costs which include 20% contingency 
*** $1 million from County Funds, remainder is from Federal sources

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These costs will be paid from County General Funds.

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The clinic buildings were owned and operated by Clackamas County before they were demolished for the replacement Courthouse construction. Costs to move the clinic to the Development Services Building (DSB) temporarily, and the new clinic located in Milwaukie were approximately $170,000.

The purchase price of the new building for the Behavioral Health Clinic was $11 million.  At almost double the size of the previous clinics, additional space for the new facility is needed due to increased demand for services. The demand has increased 17% since moving from the Oregon City site. Clinic funding sources for the purchase and tenant improvements are as follows:

  • $2.85 million        American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA)
  • $7.00 million        Health Center Bond  (Source: primarily from Medicaid and other Federal grants)
  • $1 - 2 million        Health Center Reserves  (Source: primarily from Medicaid and other Federal grants)
  • $1.00 million        General Fund Support*

* NOTE: Community Development Block Grant Funds were used to construct the old clinics; the County had to either repay the federal funds or reinvest an equivalent amount in the new clinic.

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No, it is not eligible for 50% reimbursement from the State of Oregon. The District Attorney’s office space is funded by the County’s General Fund.

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There was only one bid process for the replacement Courthouse: the P3 process.  A Value-for-Money (VFM) analysis was completed to determine the optimal financial and delivery approach presented to the Board of County Commissioners on February 18, 2020.  The document link is:   
https://dochub.clackamas.us/documents/drupal/e1440e2d-f769-4175-9a6f-a5e41eb96ed9

Cost estimates in the session material were:

  • The total project cost was approximately $220 million (estimate)
  • Courthouse construction - $190 million (estimate)
  • On-campus parking additions, roadway changes and re-routing, intersection signalization, Red Soils Master Plan updates, District Attorney’s office portion of the replacement Courthouse building, and related soft costs associated with the replacement Courthouse $30 million (estimate)

As determined in the budget presented above in question #2, the construction costs for the Courthouse increased from an estimated amount of $220 million, to a construction cost of $283 million due to inflation related to COVID.  However, the estimated costs related to parking lots, road improvements, as well as other expenses continue to come close to the estimated $30 million and are now budgeted at $30.4 million.

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FY23-24 Budget

Appointed Departments               Vacant FTEFilled FTETotal FTESavings
County Administration 

2.00

2.00

$329,000

Finance

1.00

 

1.00

$119,314

Facilities

1.00

0.65

1.65

$130,617

Public & Government Affairs

0.50

2.00

2.50

$341,137

Disaster Management

 

0.50

0.50

$171,062

Juvenile Department

2.00

 

2.00

$303,720

Health, Housing & Hum. Services

1.00

0.50

1.50

$228,813

Transportation & Development

3.00

 

3.00

$350,840

Departments Total

8.50

5.65

14.15

 $1,974,503

No reductions in Elected Offices.

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Courthouse Milestone and Annual Payments
The $130 million milestone payment to our vendor in May 2025 will be made available in advance from the State of Oregon Department of Justice. The State issued bonds in the spring 2021 ($94.5 million) and 2025 ($45 million) - these funds are solely for the Courthouse related projects ($.5million) and the milestone payment ($130 million).

These payments will be made from the County’s General Fund. Sufficient cash is available for the annual payments due to the County’s strategic budgeting including updated cost allocation methodology, streamlining expenses, and careful monitoring of operational use of funds.

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The 30-year forecast projects annual payments for the replacement Courthouse, maintenance, and capital replacement costs. Together these average $15 million annually. (Note: The Facilities Management Services Agreement includes maintenance and operations of the building for 30 years including HVAC replacement, security systems and replacement, cleaning, etc.)

The total 30-year costs - principal and interest - include the Facilities Management Services Agreement, Courthouse construction costs, and project agreement amount (payment for loan including interest) is approximately $620 million.

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Resources

Policy Sessions/Issues & Updates

12/6/22Courthouse Construction Progress Update
11/2/21Courthouse Project Update - Gary Barth
9/21/21Overview of New County Courthouse Project Update - Gary Barth
8/10/21New County Courthouse Project Update - Gary Barth
6/29/21County Courthouse Project Update
5/5/21New County Courthouse Project Update
4/21/21County Courthouse Project Update
1/12/21New Circuit Courthouse Project Update
7/7/20Courthouse Replacement Project
2/18/20Courthouse Replacement Project
2/4/20USDA Wood Innovation Grant – County Courthouse Mass Timber
10/22/19Courthouse Replacement Project – Financing Plan and Delivery Approach
10/2/19Quarterly General County Budget Committee Meeting
6/18/19Courthouse Replacement Project: Community Benefit Agreements Info Session
1/29/19Courthouse Replacement Project Quarterly Report
9/18/18Courthouse Replacement Project Quarterly Report
6/26/18Courthouse Replacement Project Quarterly Report
10/17/17Courthouse Replacement Project Planning
2/14/17Red Soils Courthouse Funding Request for 2017 Biennium

News Coverage

2/6/23Clackamas County breaks ground on new courthouse - KPTV/KPDX
2/5/23Work starts on new courthouse for Clackamas County - Pamplin Media
2/5/23New Clackamas County Courthouse breaks ground, expected to be open in 2025 - KATU
2/4/23Historic Courthouse Replacement Project Officially Breaks Ground in Clackamas County - Canby First
2/4/231 o’clock Newsbrief - KXL Radio
9/26/22Clackamas County: Courthouse project to create long-term benefits - Clackamas Review
12/10/21Clackamas County submits $189M courthouse construction plan - Pamplin Media
7/7/21State approves $1 for Clackamas courthouse, pending joint report - Portland Tribune
4/22/21Clackamas County at fork in road on courthouse development - Lake Oswego Review
7/08/20Clackamas County mulls private partner to build courthouse - Portland Tribune
2/26/20Need for new Clackamas County courthouse is overwhelming - Clackamas Review
7/22/19Clackamas County details plans for courthouse construction - Clackamas Review
7/11/19State chips in another $31.5M toward county courthouse - Portland Business Tribune
7/11/19Construction plans for new Clackamas County Courthouse moving forward - West Linn Tidings
12/22/17Clackamas County pursuing new courthouse - DJC Oregon
10/18/17Board briefed on courthouse planning - Portland Tribune