After three decades of discussion and four years of construction, Elkhart County officials Monday announced the long-awaited grand opening of their new courthouse. For the first time, the Goshen and Elkhart courthouses will operate under one roof.
With 11 miles separating downtown Goshen, the county seat, and downtown Elkhart, the county’s largest city, county leaders as far back as the 1990s started talking about the need to consolidate into a new courthouse. Construction finally started in summer 2021.
At least $112 million later, the finished building will soon open at 1905 Reliance Road, the midpoint between Goshen and Elkhart’s existing courthouses. County commissioners Monday announced an official ribbon-cutting Sept. 5, and they said trials will start there this fall.
Every day next week they’ll give 60-minute guided tours starting every half-hour.
“It’s a long time coming,” says County Commissioners President Brad Rogers. “It’s been talked about by judges and commissioners for years, so we’re looking forward to putting both courts into one location.”
Rogers says the Elkhart courthouse is dilapidated and needs extensive renovation, so the county plans to sell it to the city, which will demolish it.
As for the historic Goshen courthouse, Rogers expects it to eventually fill up with new users. County commissioners will begin meeting in what’s now the circuit courtroom.
“We wanted to keep the historic nature of it and yet provide a functional meeting room, and so that’s our goal,” Rogers says.
Some county departments will move from the county administration building, like information technology, human resources and parks, and Goshen Fire Department will move administrative offices in.
And Goshen City Court will move into the Superior Courtroom.
“We’re just going to have a lot of flexibility for meeting space, conference rooms and things of that nature,” Rogers says. “And the bright side is, the public is more welcome to it now because you don’t have security at the door. They can come and go and conduct business.”
