Renovations needed to reuse old courthouses and that can cost several million dollars are often not included in GSA’s new courthouse proposals, GAO has said in calling on GSA to improve planning for the reuse of old courthouses.
It said that for 33 of the 40 retained old courthouses it considered, the new courthouse proposals described plans for reuse by federal tenants, but only 15 proposals specified whether renovations were needed to realize these plans, and only 11 included estimates of the renovation costs.
GAO said that some old courthouses remained partially or wholly vacant while funding was unresolved, sometimes requiring additional spending on commercial leases for buildings for the judiciary.
In proposing new courthouses, GSA, in consultation with the judiciary, should include plans for re-using or disposing of old courthouses, any required renovations and the estimated costs, and any other challenges to re-using or disposing of the buildings, according to GAO-14-48.
It said GSA concurred with the recommendation and the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts agreed that GSA and the judiciary should work together to address the judiciary’s housing needs.
