ROCHESTER — City leaders are watching two big projects as Gov. Chris Sununu's proposed two-year $14.9 billion budget moves through the legislative process.
State Rep. Chuck Grassie, D-Rochester, who sits on the House Finance Committee, said this week it currently looks good for $17.5 million for a new Rochester District Court and for $20.17 million toward a $33.6 million new Rochester elementary school. It won't be official, however, until the final budget is approved, which is expected in June.
"Both are at the top of the list, and I fully expect they will be funded," Grassie said. "Of course, no one can say for certain at this point as things can always change, but both have been identified as high need."
State Senator James Gray, R-Rochester, said he also supports the funding for new courthouse, agreeing there is a need.
Grassie said the courthouse funding will alleviate a couple of real problems, both relative to a lack of space at the current courthouse at 76 North Main St.
The Rochester District Court, built in 1913, is too small to handle its volume of cases, which can create safety issues when the court lobby is overcrowded. The site, originally a post office, has limited access for people in wheelchairs and no public parking.
What could happen next with new Rochester court project?
A site for the new court has been identified on Rochester Hill Road, a three-acre parcel currently owned by the city.
Sarah Lineberry, superintendent of the state Bureau of Court Facilities, said the capital budget for fiscal year 2022-23 allocated $1.161 million for design and engineering for a new court, which would commence upon approval of the current budget proposal.
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The new courthouse would be more than twice the size of the existing historic building.
"We are looking for the design of a 24,000-square-foot building," Lineberry said in an earlier interview. "Currently we have 11,000 square feet."
Lineberry said there is a high-level, typical timetable assuming proper approvals, as follows:
- The design and engineering of the Rochester courthouse after the governor and Executive Council approval is expected to take approximately 10 months.
- The bidding and construction approval phase is expected to take three additional months with groundbreaking expected in late spring 2024, assuming all project approvals and usual timelines.
What could happen with current courthouse? How is court operating now?
Rochester City Manager Blaine Cox said the city is interested in acquiring the old courthouse property for future development.
Because of space issues in the current court, some Rochester cases are being heard in Rochester and some in Dover, particularly family court cases, said Grassie. "That is causing confusion and some people are missing court dates, mostly because they show up at the wrong location."
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New school for Rochester is No. 1 on state's priority list
The money for the Rochester school district is a priority in the state, said Grassie. He said if approved in the budget, both projects will go to the House and Senate, but he feels chances are good because of their high priority ratings.
If the project is funded and approved, two of the city's eight elementary schools, the Nancy Loud School and the School Street School, would be closed and consolidated at the new school, according to plans filed by Rochester school leaders in an application to the state Board of Education.
The state Board of Education put Rochester at the top of the list when it approved 17 school building applications totaling $227.7 million for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The list includes funding for a portion of construction costs for new schools, renovations and building additions.
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Rochester's request is for a project totaling $33.6 million, and the district stands to receive 60% of that cost, or $20,170,800. Its No. 1 ranking means it may be the most likely district in the state to receive funding.
The district has been working since November to find a parcel of land that will be appropriate. Officials are indicating they have found land, but neither school nor city officials are ready to reveal the location.
"There is a piece of land under consideration," Cox said. "There is a purchase and sales agreement under discussion, and I think the district is getting close."
