Discussion on Tracy courthouse plan to be held tonight

TRACY — A candidate for mayor has proposed locating a new southern San Joaquin County courthouse in Tracy, but her opponents say it's not a new idea and the privately owned property might not meet the criteria set by the county for such a building.

Celeste Garamendi said that a courthouse in the downtown area known as the Bowtie would be an "economic anchor" for the area, with judges, clerks, court reporters and others who would frequent the building — including about 500 potential jurors every weekday — visiting restaurants and shops.

An informational meeting on the proposal will be held at 5 p.m. today at El Castillo Restaurant, located at Central Avenue and Sixth Street.

"The conditions of the current courthouse aren't just outdated — they're deplorable," Garamendi said. "This is a wonderful job magnet for the city. We can't be turning away these opportunities. We have Lathrop and Manteca out there trying to get it, and Tracy is doing nothing.

"It provides one of the uses we need to be successful in the Bowtie. We need public parks, offices, retail and some housing to really get the mix of people living and working in downtown. A patchwork of public projects isn't going to do it."

Garamendi said that in addition to criminal courts, the new building also could house civil proceedings, traffic infractions and family court.

She also said that locating the judicial building near the city's multimodal

station, which currently is under construction and expected to be completed by next summer, would allow people to get to court or to work on public transportation.

"The city spent about $1.3 million for land and, through other funding, got a $12 million (multimodal) facility," Garamendi said. "This is going to be about the same size, maybe even less acreage, and the potential for a $42 million building, or a significantly sized structure that can house 10 to 15 courtrooms, and the staff that goes along with it.''

Tracy Mayor Brent Ives, in his first bid for re-election, said that the courthouse in downtown is not a new idea, and discussions with San Joaquin County have included three potential sites in Tracy, including downtown, near the Prime Outlets, and city owned property at 11th Street and Chrisman Road. Another site mentioned in the discussions, but as a longshot, is the Gateway Project on the western edge of town.

Ives said the county is looking for free land with a high-level of connectivity; the city does not own the land in the Bowtie, which lies between Fourth and Sixth streets.

"I'm not convinced it meets our vision for downtown," Ives said. "It's more of a daytime crowd than a 24-hour generator of people. If you talked to our consultant (on the downtown specific plan), we need to seek uses in downtown that create people traffic in the day and in the evenings."

Tracy City Councilwoman Evelyn Tolbert said that courthouses traditionally are located in downtown areas, but it also can bring congestion unless there is a transportation corridor established and enough parking. On the positive side, she said, such a facility would help nearby restaurants and bring with it a set of services that thrive near courthouses.

"The idea of a public forum on it might be helpful, that way there is an opportunity for the community to know the city has been working on it for the last few years," she said. "The mayor and the city manager represent the community. I'm making the assumption that they have been invited. There are a lot of people who have been working on this for quite some time. They would have something to add."

Reach Mike Martinez at 209-832-3947 or mike.martinez@bayareanewsgroup.com.