Ohio Judicial Center to Maintain Normal Hours, Operations During Roof Renovation

Columbus Skyline in for Change as Green Roof Will Turn Penny-Color

Construction on the long-planned roof renovation of the Ohio Judicial Center is set to begin this week. The roof work will not cause any disruption to the building's daily activities. The Front Street entrance will be accessible, all offices will remain open and the building will maintain its normal hours of operation, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“The state is excited about the Supreme Court moving into the final phase of its renovation,” said State Architect Roger Booker, whose office is overseeing the renovation. “The re-roofing will complete the project. At 73 years old, the roof has definitely reached the end of its lifespan.”

The roof replacement is the third and final phase of the renovation of the historic building, which opened in 1933 as the State Office Building and housed various executive branch agencies.

The $1.5 million roof replacement has been planned for several years and was included in the original $85.6 million allocated by the General Assembly for the conversion of the structure into the Ohio Judicial Center, which began in 2000.  The Ohio Judicial Center opened in February 2004 and is home of the Supreme Court of Ohio and affiliated offices of the state judicial system, including the Ohio Court of Claims, the Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline, the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission, the Clients' Security Fund and the Ohio Judicial Conference. 

The roof reconstruction is scheduled to last from March 15 to November. Construction will be carried out by Phinney Roofing of Columbus and supervised and funded by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS).

Early on, one of the four lanes of traffic on Front Street will be closed for a day to accommodate a large crane, which will be used to bring in construction materials. That is the only time that Front Street should be closed for construction purposes. There will be occasional lane closings on Civic Center Drive for future deliveries.

The renovation involves replacing the building's original copper roof, which has been in place since 1933. Crews will first replace the lower, rubber roofing and then install the copper roof as it is manufactured and delivered.

The familiar green roof of the building, a central fixture of the Columbus skyline for seven decades, will be replaced by a shiny roof the color of a new copper penny.  After several years of weathering, the roof will oxidize into a dark color before reverting to the familiar green again.

For more information about the historic Ohio Judicial Center, including a guided tour of the Courtroom, please visit www.ohiojudicialcenter.gov.  More information about the Supreme Court of Ohio is available at www.supremecourtofohio.gov.