Howard County Circuit Court

The Howard County Circuit Court is an important landmark in Ellicott City, Maryland, the historic county seat . The courthouse is a complex of successive additions to the original granite 1840s building.

The current building lacked modern security provisions, was overcrowded, organizationally fragmented, and difficult to navigate. Challenges included functional integration in addition to design and construction challenges with the site and historic district.

CGL assisted in developing a series of space programs, site options, and related scenarios for the County’s consideration, these include: a 57,706-square-foot addition to the existing building to accommodate minimal base needs; an interim program, designed to accommodate the courts and current courthouse tenant agencies; and a full program, which consolidates the related departments of States Attorney, Sheriff, Department of Juvenile Services, and Bar Association within the courthouse, necessitating new construction on an alternative site in addition to a historically sensitive expansion to the current 1840s courthouse.

On July 13th, 2021 Howard County executives and local officials cut the ribbon on the new Howard County Circuit Courthouse. The 238,000 square foot facility was completed on time and on budget, despite the pandemic, through Howard County’s first public-private partnership (P3). The new courthouse is the largest capital project in Howard County history and replaces the County’s 175-year-old historic courthouse that presented numerous deficiencies and challenges.

The Howard County Circuit Court is LEED Gold Certified.