In September of 2017, GMK Associates was retained by Richland County, SC, to provide professional design, management, and construction services using the design-build delivery method for up to nine Magistrate’s Facility renovations and new construction projects throughout the County. Richland County is in the process of ensuring that all of the County Magistrates are housed in County-owned facilities. Some of these Magistrates Office are to be co-located with other County functions such as Sherriff’s Offices and miscellaneous administrative offices. The majority of the projects under this contract entail renovation of an existing facility; however, there may be future needs design and construct a new facility from the ground, up. The initial contract covers the first two renovation projects only. It is the County’s intent, however, to use the same design-build team for all nine Magistrate facilities targeted for renovation or new construction. Each individual project has estimated construction costs between $700,000 and $1,000,000.

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The first two projects consist of the Upper Township Facility Renovations and the New Hopkins Facility. The Upper Township Facility opened in February of 2020, and the Hopkins Facility was completed in the Fall of 2020. The new Hopkins Magistrate Facility consists of a 4,830-SF slab-on-grade, one-story, brick-veneer/hard-coat stucco building with a pitched architectural asphalt shingle roof. The facility located on 1.9 acres off of Lower Richland Boulevard includes elevated window sills for security and a public entrance with glass entry door doors and sidelights. The facility houses the magistrate’s courtroom (and support areas), as well as various administrative offices and common space.