Franklin County Courthouse Renovation & Expansion

Beardsley Architects + Engineers partnered with Franklin County to deliver a multi-phase renovation and expansion of the historic county courthouse, helping the County comply with New York State’s 2006 mandate to expand and reorganize the court system.

Through a carefully planned 36-month, six-phase design-build approach, Beardsley worked alongside County staff and the 4th District Court to maintain continuous operations and minimize costs—achieving the entire project at about one-third the cost of a traditional bid process. This innovative method received widespread attention and serves as a model for other counties seeking cost-effective, taxpayer-friendly solutions.

The courthouse renovation reorganized administrative offices and court functions across two secure levels. Public Health Services and Career Development were relocated, allowing new courtrooms, jury rooms, judges’ chambers, central security screening, law library, and attorney/client conference rooms to be added or modernized.

The final phase included restoring the historic central courtroom—famous for the 1935 trial of mobster Dutch Schultz—and integrating modern technology upgrades to support today’s court operations while preserving the building’s heritage.