Just before the fiscal year ends, a new era will begin for the legal system in Albemarle County and Charlottesville.
Beginning on June 16, people who work for the Albemarle County courts system will begin moving into their new offices in the recently-completed joint General District Courts building in Court Square.
“This project also includes renovations of the historic Levy Opera House that will become the new home of the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office,” reads an article in the latest quarterly report from the county’s Facilities and Environmental Services.
The Levy Opera House dates back to the 1850’s.
Contractors are still putting in the final touches for the building, including installation of the security system, testing of the elevators, and the placement of directional signage.
The completion of the first phase is the culmination of a process that included a discussion of relocating the courts outside of downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville City Council agreed to a deal in December 2018 to allocate parking spaces to Albemarle County for court purposes. You can learn more about that process on cvillepedia.
The FES report states that construction had to take place in an area with limited space.
“To overcome the logistical challenges, a significant amount of time had to be devoted to coordination of trade contractors, and material and equipment deliveries,” reads the report. “The FES team has prioritized effective planning related to traffic patterns and road closures as well as impacts on the surrounding community.”
The overall project has $63 million according to page 15 of the report. The second phase will involve renovation of the historic Albemarle County Courthouse to allow for an expanded Circuit Court.
“Construction on the Circuit Court will begin after the General District Court is completed and operational, allowing the Circuit Court to temporarily relocate to the new facility,” reads page 55 of the FES report.
Before you go: This story was originally sent out in the May 29, 2025 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. It took a few days to post it to this site which also has the effect of showing up in the email inboxes of about a hundred people. If you’d like to support this work, take a look here to learn how!
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