Grand Forks County Courthouse

Grand Forks, North Dakota

Grand Forks County Courthouse is a truly historic building and monument of its era. Designed by Buechner and Orth and built in 1913 this courthouse was home to various county agencies.In the 1950s a Correction Center was added to the Courthouse. The major challenge was to make all necessary improvements, and at the same time not disturb any of the historic “public” circulation spaces, i.e. main entrances, hallways, lobby, and rotunda. The historic hallways essentially quarter the floor plan, so the corners of the building were available for agency use. Within the agency areas each space was remodeled to provide the most efficient layout to enhance County services and public needs. Historic building components were salvaged and reused wherever possible, eg. doors / frames, interior windows, stone, woodwork, etc.

Extensive research was conducted into the original color schemes. The existing interior was repainted throughout the Courthouse to restore walls and ceilings to the original era colors. Terrazzo floors were patched and a complimentary colored carpet was added to enhance acoustical quality of the space. New historically correct courtroom furniture was fabricated for the enlarged courtrooms. Updated telecommunications and phone lines were installed to improve communication within the county with other state agencies. Courtroom electronic features were enhanced to meet State of North Dakota standards.