New City Court Building

One piece of the puzzle in downtown development was put into place Wednesday night.  The Lake Charles City Council approved building a new city court building at the site of the old Sears Automotive on Mill Street.  Mayor Randy Roach says the building will cost 4.5 million dollars.  The Home Mortgage Trust Authority will be issuing bonds up to three million dollars... Which leaves a funding gap of over a million dollars.  The Mayor says the court is working with other agencies in the area to find other sources of funding for the project to make up the million dollar funding gap.  What do you think of the idea of building a new City Court building at that site?

Comments

[Joe]

While our current City Court facilities aren't great, we don't need a new court building. Remodel what we have. As reported, we don't even have all the money planned for this project. A shortfall of $1.5 million is a big deal in my books. City Court has raised their fees so much recently that it is becoming very difficult to use the court even for simple evictions. When a basic eviction costs more than $150 per case the court has made it quite difficult to get deadbeat renters out of your property-often taking more than two months to get non-paying tenants out. If our City Court Judges worked more cases, worked more court days, and Louisana laws didn't favor the renter more than the landlord I could understand why we needed a new facility.

[Missy]

Plenty of parking. Good location. Easy access. More jobs. Updating down town. Want cost the tax payer anything. Pecan tree in the back for smokers. Easy to get to from I-210 and I-10 I say it's a good idea.... I like it. Way to go Mayor Randy....

[Betty]

I think it is a good idea for a new City Court. If you have been to the present court house in the Housing Authority building, you will see that it is not a true court house. It is just rooms. The building is not handicap accessible. Once you get in the building and go upstairs to the City Prosecutors office, you can't go down the steps if you are in a wheelchair. They have to come out of the offices and talk to you, which I think is not good. The idea of a new City Court is a great idea to me and I hope that it will be better for handicapped people once you get inside the bulding.

[Swamp Charly]

Between Missy(probably a city court insider)and semi-retired CB(a KPLC plant)the subject has been swept under the carpet....
More importantly the DDA(aka Dilletantes Downtown Authority)has seen its wings clipped by the City Council under the pretense that it is manned by volunteers(as if the City Council memebers had been obliged to run for office>>>)...
Nevertheless , the DDA caved in pretty well and highlights the facts that it mainly represent special interests and downtown land and property owners....

Whatever sits and will sit on the lakefront and Downtown will be subject to one layer of discussion ie the City Council.

It is clear that Mayor Roach has been handed another resounding defeat , but as a smooth attorney he will put the appropriate lipstick on that pig....anyway he has plenty of work and security for downtown is one, so churchgoers dont see their cars broken into while at prayers(like the other day)[congratulations and thanks to the dedication of the City Police for their quick response)

[Buck]

Here we go again! Same song, different dance. I am at a loss to see where we are not spending tax payer dollors on this project. From the start of this project, to the finish, only tax payer money has been used,(state,federal,parish and city). This should be of no suprise to anyone because the same people that have given us this mess have also put the city in the hole for 4 million dollars this budget year. People of Lake Charles wake up and take control back bfore it is too late.

[Who Care's]

Yes,, I was about to say that lil ms missy probably works for them, and one question missy,, how is this going to bring jobs?

To whom? Americans have lost more jobs due to mexicans. How do I know this? My husband works in construction/plumbing and I am on the job with him at times and I see how many REAL AMERICANS, do not have a job.

I'm not trying to change the subject but only saying the truth. What is worse, THEY CAN NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. So when a homeowner comes to the job, guess what happens when something goes wrong..they are no where to be found,,went to another construction company.

But what I'm wanting to know is how this is going to bring jobs? what jobs?

Why is this even a topic.

KPLC news reporters get paid to surf the web and that is how they get the news.

Pathetic

[CTtcg]

I agree that missy is probably a city employee and that CB is either a complete idiot or a plant to discredit what others have to say on this blog.

I actually agree that it's a good idea, however, to build a new courthouse for the city. That building on the corner or Broad and Bilbo is a piece of crap. The city would probably gain more respect if it had a nicer courthouse which actually functioned and is built to be a courthouse.

That said, what KPLC and the powers that be in this town don't realize is that in the end, the truth will win out. There is nothing that they can do to stop that now.

[CTtcg]

Also, way to go City Council! We shouldn't have to put up with the DDA snobs and their rather tame ideas.

I noticed other types of trees were planted on the promenade the other day whilst driving by. Thank goodness there are more things than just palm trees (yuck!).

[jim]

what are they going to do with the old city court house?

[Wyatt Chancey]

I think a new City Court building is due - the old one was clearly inadequate. There are lots of more energy-efficient techniques that will go into the new building, plus usage-based layout and people flow will improve. As far as the jobs and cost, I think some good hard points were made. All I can say there is, welcome to America, there are bad practices and habits all over, hurting the basic fabric of our nation. But all I have to say is, I wonder if the extra million dollars the taxpayers paid some un-named private citizen/group for the white building awhile back, wouldn't have helped pay for this necessary civic improvement? Ha!

[pooh bear]

Didn't they just get all moved in downtown off of Bilbo Street? What in the world is wrong with that building?! What's wrong with the original city court building?! Why in the world do we need a city court building that costs that much?!

[Swamp Charly]

Jim...what about an IMAX theater ????LOL>>>

[CTtcg]

His comments were deleted, ah!

[" Lucifer " , " There is no Honor in Hell]

If things continue as they are going , there will be anarchy over unemployment and therefore no need for the courthouse : )

[bd]

Missy are you dumb as a red brick ? "wont cost the taxpayer anything" where do do think the money comes from for any thing that cost any amount of money be it grants or bonds or what ever,do you think there is a city court fairy that sprinkles money down on us.NO.. WE DONT NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON A NEW CITY COURT BLDG...the underworked overpaid Judges can make do with what they have.Politicans need to understand, a day of reconning is comming,Taxpayers are fed up.

[Swamp Charly]

SPEND,spend, spend...thats all politicians of all sides know...and they will give you whatever reasons they want...it aint their money and they will spend it!!!

The new CourtHouse is a done deal and you can shout t'ill you are blue in the face...

[elohssa]

A new courthouse?

Now that's what I call "downtown development"!

Nobody in the private sector will touch that property with their own money, so the wise folks on the city council naturally decide that they should spend taxpayer money to build a new government building there.

Upside 1: All those lawyers will be able to walk to those trendy little downtown bistros for lunch.

Upside 2: It's convenient for city court's customers from North Lake Charles.

Now maybe the city council will sign up for those red light cameras (for our safety, you know) and the extra traffic will generate more revenue.

And surely, in the mayor's grand plan to make downtown Lake Charles a destination that will attract visitors, people form all over will want to some see our marvelous new courthouse.

If the numbers aren't there, then LCPD can do like Vinton and start radaring the interstate. Then those Texans will HAVE to visit our new courthouse.

[Swamp Charly]

SHAME ON KPLC 5:00 NEWS...THEY REPORTED IT ...THEN COPIED MISSY'S COMMENTS TO SHOW THE GREAT SUPPORT !!!!! WE KNOW WHO'S SIDE YOU ARE ON KPLC !!!!!