County Law Building Completed Four Months Early, $2 Million Under Budget

The following is a news release from the office of Supervisor John Benoit:

The new three-story office building for the district attorney, public defender, county counsel and Indio branch of the Riverside County Law Library has been completed four months early and about $2 million under budget.

Supervisor John J. Benoit celebrated the latest progress in the county’s $375 million to $400 million investment in downtown Indio at the grand opening of the County Law Building on Wednesday. The building is located at the southwest corner of Highway 111 and Jackson Street in Indio, 82-995 Highway 111.

“Construction of the County Law Building went even better than planned, finishing early, under budget and surpassing expectations for its leading-edge design and energy and water-efficient technology,” said Supervisor John J. Benoit. “It is a beautiful enhancement that citizens will be very proud of as it serves our growing county for decades to come.”

The approximately 90,000-square-foot facility provides permanent offices for the county’s legal departments, which were in temporary spaces while the County Administrative Center was demolished to prepare the site for the East County Detention Center.

Construction began in January 2014 and was completed four months ahead of the scheduled May 2015 completion date. The project came in well under budget, which will result in a corresponding reduction in the county’s lease rate.

The County Law Building incorporates many energy-efficient and water-saving features that will generate significant savings to the county on operations. It is planned to become the first county government facility to earn the Platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest level of certification.

The County Law Building features solar panels on carports that are expected to generate approximately 40 percent of the building’s electrical needs. Light-colored roofing will reduce the building’s solar heat gain, saving energy during high summer temperatures. High‑efficiency plumbing fixtures, drought resistant landscaping and drip irrigation will reduce water use. Many building materials, including portions of the building’s steel, were from recycled content.

Outside the facility is a decorative fountain and a bronze sculpture, “Blind Justice,” that depicts the Lady of Justice wearing a blindfold and holding the scales of justice and a sword.

The project was developed under a public‑private partnership with the development team of Trammell Crow Company, National Development Council, Langdon Wilson International, and Millie and Severson. The development team designed, developed, financed, constructed and provided the facility to the county fully‑completed, including furniture and cabling. The county will lease the facility for 30 years. The county will own the building at the end of the lease term, and has the ability to purchase the building after the lease’s fifth year.

A 5,000-square-foot building will be constructed for a future restaurant to provide more dining alternatives on the busy corner. The lease of the restaurant will be competitively bid for a private operator.