Kingsport’s old City Hall will not be demolished as part of Justice Center project

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Kingsport city leaders confirmed they do not plan to demolish the former city hall after renovations at the city’s justice center are complete.

The city’s board of mayor and aldermen recently approved a $14.3 million bid for the project, which Deputy City Manager Ryan McReynolds said originated with the same study that prompted the city to move offices to its’ current city hall.

McReynolds told News Channel 11 that the project aims to improve security and consolidate court services into a single building.

“We want to make sure that there is a safe environment for all participants within the court system, those that work within it, those that are coming to participate, and the new building will provide a great security assurance for that,” McReynolds said.

In addition to new courtrooms, the project will extend the public entrance area, create a separate entrance area for judges and prisoners, and move clerk services remaining in the old city hall into the Justice Center. The project also includes planned renovations to Kingsport Police Department offices on the building’s first floor.

McReynolds said the plan for the soon-to-be-vacant building is still in flux; however, he said demolition is off the table.

Because the facility is jointly owned with Sullivan County, McReynolds said stakeholders from both sides will try to answer the question, ” What is its highest and best use for the city of Kingsport?”

“We will probably start having those conversations about a year from now,” McReynolds added.

The project, funded partly by the county, generates excitement for county officials like Commissioner John Gardener, who represents part of Kingsport. He told News Channel 11 in a statement:

“To be able to house the various services under one roof is not only important to the court staff but citizens too. When city and county governments collaborate, positive things like this come together. Excellent project. “

John Gardener, District 11 Commissioner, Sullivan County

Currently, the projected timeline for the renovations is 960 days, but bailiffs estimate an average of 5,000 visitors each month, so the center will stay operational.

“You’re having to make sure that all activity is seamlessly being performed at existing justice center as you’re building on it and then shifting around to keep operations running,” Kingsport’s McReynolds said, noting that those logistics are a factor in the two and a half year construction timeline.

City leaders will meet with staff from Preston Construction Company soon to set a start date for construction.

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