Owner:
City of Seattle

Architect:
NBBJ, Seattle

General contractor:
Hoffman Construction, Seattle

Structural engineer:
Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire, Seattle

Electrical engineer:
Abacus Engineered Systems, Seattle

Civil engineer:
SvR, Seattle

Geotechnical engineer:
Shannon & Wilson, Seattle

Mechanical engineer:
CDi Engineers, Lynnwood

Landscape architects:
Gustafson Partners, Seattle
Swift & Co. Landscape Architects, Seattle

The Seattle Justice Center, located on the northernmost block of the city’s new Civic Center campus, will house the municipal courthouse and police headquarters. It replaces the nearby Public Safety Building, which at over 50 is nearing the end of its useful life.

The building has been designed with two distinctly different sections to separate the courts and police. The combination of functions within one building yields a structure with two different parts: the glass courts and public portion that occupies the southern part of the block, and a masonry and police-office portion on the northern part.

Aligning with the future City Hall across Fifth Avenue, larger public gathering spaces are located along the southern edge of the site, while office spaces are located on the north. The courts portion of the building is set back to create a plaza, steps and landscaping that reflect the public nature of the judicial function of the building, inviting people inside.

The courts entry is located off the plaza, highlighted by flags, steps and a water feature fronting Fifth Avenue. In addition to these features, the public space will feature works of public art. The police entry, also off Fifth Avenue, is smaller and more discrete, marked with an entry canopy.

Location: 600 Fifth Ave., Seattle

Height: 168 feet, 12 stories (and one underground level)

Size: 300,000 square feet

Project cost: $92 million

Building population: 800

Courtrooms: 9

Groundbreaking: July 19, 2000

Topping out: Aug. 10, 2001

Tenants: Municipal Court of Seattle, Seattle Police Department

Opening: Court opens to the public on Nov. 13; SPD has occupied the building since Sept. 6

LEED certified?: Not quite. The city will submit its certification application after the building is completed.

So far, at least 14 city of Seattle projects are slated to meet LEED standards, but none has been certified. The Justice Center would be among the first.