The Multnomah county commissioners, sheriff and other local leaders broke ground on the new courts facility in Gresham's Rockwood neighborhood on Friday, January 7.
The new facility will replace Gresham's overcrowded one-courtroom facility on West Powell. After construction is completed, Gresham residents will no longer have to travel to the crowded downtown Portland courthouse for misdemeanors, traffic violations and ex parte hearings.
The new courts building will incorporate green technology, resulting in reduced energy consumption. Building plans meet both LEED Gold Certification standards for sustainable construction and the Architecture 2030 Challenge, which challenges organizations to build facilities that use little or no fossil fuels.
A large crowd attended the groundbreaking ceremony to hear remarks from local leaders and enjoy pizza donated by Guiseppe's Italian Restaurant, a family-owned business in Rockwood.