Charlotte County Justice Center Earns an ABC Eagle Award
Every year Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) holds an Excellence in Construction (EIC) competition in which they honor exceptional projects based on vision, innovation, execution, safety, quality control and complexity. This year the Charlotte County Justice Center Renovation project received an Eagle Award from the Gulf Coast Chapter.
Ajax and AE partners Sweet Sparkman Architects and DLR Group were selected to renovate and remodel 64,735 SF of the current Justice Center. The existing Justice Center, originally completed in 1999, consists of a five-story building interconnected with a three-story building, totaling 197,131 GSF. The overall effort involved multiple phases complete with their own independent phasing.
Charlotte County is part of a five-county court system, meaning at any given time, the court rooms, county and state administrative offices, and records spaces are in high demand. Most typical justice center functions are housed on site including Circuit and County Courts, Court Administration, Clerk of Courts, State Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff’s Civil Office and Court Security, and other support functions such as Jury Assembly and the Law Library. Thus, the 64,735 SF of renovations were accomplished while keeping the Justice Center open and in operation with high levels of security. Minimal disruption to existing court functions and activities was critical requiring a comprehensive scheduling and micro-phasing system.
The purpose of the project was to meet the needs of the county in the coming years through efficient design and construction, along with technology. LEED “green” building concepts were incorporated into the project where applicable and Building Information Modeling (BIM) was utilized. The initial phase of construction included the relocation of the County Records to an off-site location, enhanced security improvements, additional courtrooms and holding cells, and interior relocation, as well as remodeling of the existing Justice Center Departments. The second phase involved renovations to the remainder of the complex, such as enclosure of the exterior open breezeway between buildings, temporary staff and public entrances, expansion of the existing entry pavilion, and interior renovations of the ground and first floors of the south wing of the building. The third phase included a generator upgrade.
Thorough planning, communication, and a true sense of “team” were critical to the project’s success. Ajax, Sweet Sparkman, DLR Group and their team of subcontractors and partners expertly led the project through the challenges—plus the unexpected impacts of a global pandemic—to deliver a secure, state-of-the-art Justice Center that will meet the needs of the public for the near future.
About Our Company: Ajax Building Company, LLC founded in 1958, is an employee owned and third generation family operated construction management firm. During the past 63 years, Ajax has steadily grown to become one of the Southeast’s premier contractors. As a part of the STO Building Group family, Ajax’s project experience now extends throughout the United States, into Canada and the UK, and Ireland. Regardless of the complexity or size of a project, Ajax brings innovative solutions to construction challenges and always strives to exceed their client’s expectations. Ajax prides itself on delivering projects that are on time, within budget and possess the highest level of safety, customer service and quality. Ajax is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.