Gaston County Courthouse
Square Footage
200,549
Project Description
The courthouse was designed to also be a community facility. One wing of the facility houses a Public Forum for community meetings and County Commissioners meetings. The Public Forum was designed as a separate wing so that it would not interfere with the operations of the courthouse. The forum is equipped with full broadcast media equipment, acoustic paneling for sound quality, full audio/video hook up for presentations, and can seat over 200 people.
Several security features were designed into the Courthouse. Separate hallways and entrances to the courtrooms for Judges, inmates, and the general public. Inmates are transported inside the facility by dedicated elevators located between the courtrooms. Holding cells exist on each floor. In addition, the Courthouse has only one public entrance, which is monitored by the Sheriff’s office.
There are a total of five district courtrooms on the second and third floors, and four Superior Courtrooms located on the fourth floor. Each courtroom can seat 95 people. Jury deliberation rooms are located on a secure hallway behind the courtrooms.