Background
The Superior Court of California, County of Solano previously operated out of three facilities, two in downtown Fairfield. The court lacked adequate space for all of its judicial officers. A recent renovation of the Fairfield Law and Justice Center only partially addressed the court's need for space.
For this reason, the Judicial Council directed renovation of the historic Old Solano Courthouse in Fairfield. The courthouse, designed by E.C. Hemmings, is an outstanding example of Beaux Arts architecture expressed in a civic building. The 1911 building served as a functioning courthouse until the 1970s. It became vacant in 2005, when the County moved to its new government center.
Renovation restored this beautiful, historic building to use as a fully functioning courthouse, providing three courtrooms under new judgeships for civil cases. The project included:
- Renovation of the first floor for one courtroom and clerks' areas;
- Restoration of two courtrooms and chambers on the second floor; and
- Seismic and related infrastructure upgrades of all systems in the 29,900 square-foot building.
The County donated the Old Solano Courthouse property to the state at no cost. The building does not have landmark status; however, the state, county, and court team approached the project with sensitivity to a thoughtful restoration to modern use while preserving the building's classic features. Construction work on the renovation commenced in spring 2013 and was completed in fall 2014. The courthouse opened for business September 22, 2014.
CEQA
The Judicial Council complied with CEQA by filing a categorical exemption for this project on October 8, 2009.
