Staunton announces likely contractor for J&DR courthouse

Lyra Bordelon, Staunton News Leader
·2 min read

STAUNTON – Howard Shockey and Sons Inc. will likely be the Staunton Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courthouse construction contractor.

The city announced its intent to award the contract on Wednesday. The announcement is not a signed contract but tells the public who the city intends to give the contract.

“It starts a ten-day period where someone else could protest this choice,” explained Josh Knight, communications manager for Staunton. “That’s the other bidders saying ‘Hey, you can’t count their bid for this reason.’ That is really unusual from what I understand.”

Howard Shockey and Sons was the lowest of three bids the city received on Tuesday. The bid was bid $18,790,000, with a $347,000 to demolish the old Big Lots building if the city chooses to do so. Staunton City Council agreed to move forward with issuing a maximum of $35,500,000 in general obligation bonds for the project.

A time has not been set for groundbreaking on the project, but it is expected before the April 18 deadline set by judge's order.

The two-story courthouse will be built in Staunton's West End, at the former Chestnut Hills Shopping Center on W. Beverley Street.

"The choice of this site demonstrates that the city is serious about investing in the West End. The city’s investment in a court project at the Chestnut Hills site will serve as an economic catalyst for revitalization, incentivize private sector growth in the West End, and extend the economic vitality that exists downtown into a currently under-utilized area of the city," reads a city press release issued around the start of pre-construction on the project.

The bottom floorplan for the Staunton Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court facility.
The bottom floorplan for the Staunton Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court facility.
The courthouse's upstairs layout.
The courthouse's upstairs layout.

The courthouse’s final site plan is available online. For a higher resolution of the above images, see pages 30 and 32.

Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It’s welcome through email to lbordelon@gannett.com. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton announces likely contractor for J&DR courthouse