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The Design
The public entry of the Justice Center, which is
the courthouse, is designed in the Southern vernacular of the
Federalist style. The courthouse has a traditional brick facade
with portico entry and columns, and an open four-story public
atrium. The architect, Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK) designed
the building to reflect design elements found in the architecture
of judiciary buildings throughout the south. Before beginning,
HOK's design team studied the architectural designs of several
buildings in Clayton County. The Harold R. Banke Justice Center was
designed in a manner to reflect the styles found in those
historical buildings.
The courthouse is positioned to
hide the inmate housing units from the main entrance. The inmate
intake center is centralized between the courthouse and housing
units, allowing for safe and efficient movement of inmates to and
from court, while controlling access for public visitation. The
Sheriff's operations are located with the intake center for optimum
control, as well, as public access.
Services
In addition to the inmate housing
and court services, the Justice Center will house ancillary
offices, including the Clerk of Superior & Magistrate Courts, Clerk of
State Court, County Business Offices and the Sheriff's
Administration Offices. There are approximately 51 county
employees relocated to the Center, combining offices from around
the county to provide a "one-stop" accessibility for residents
needing county business services.