The city of Tucson plans to spend $3.8 million on improvements to the deteriorating City Court building — repairs needed since the city opted not to move into the new county court building.
The court funds are part of a proposed $292 million construction plan for next year presented to the City Council Tuesday, with the lion’s share of the money — $183.2 million — going for roads and other transportation improvements.
The $292 million is about 21 percent of the city’s budget, said budget director Joyce Garland. The money comes from the Regional Transportation Authority, federal grants, bonds and other sources.
The City Court project includes painting the outside of the building, adding a canopy over the central courtyard, resurfacing interior balconies and making critical safety improvements.
The city had deferred many of the projects a few years back, when it thought it would join the county at the new Joint Courts Complex. The city’s share of that project would have been $21 million.
Improving the existing building is a good financial move for the city, said councilman Paul Cunningham.
The $3.8 million, spread over two fiscal years, buys the city time to figure out what to do with City Court now that the city isn’t participating in the Joint Courts project. It prolongs the life of the late-1950s building and improves its functionality, said court administrator Chris Hale.
Moving to Joint Courts would have cost the city $2 million in operations and $2 million in debt payments every year, he told the council.
The road projects in the capital improvements plan include improvements to Grant Road, 22nd Street, Broadway, Silverbell and Houghton roads, plus the next phase of road repair bond projects.
The capital budget also includes $3.9 million over two years for a new health clinic at the Reid Park Zoo, in conjunction with the University of Arizona’s new veterinary program. While the city is financing the project, the zoological society will do all the fundraising and make the debt payments.
Other projects coming next year include:
- $75.2 million for water infrastructure projects.
- $13.4 million to upgrade a compressed natural gas fueling station.
- $7.7 million for Los Reales Landfill projects.
- $4.9 million over two years for a new Environmental Services maintenance facility for garbage containers.
