The new courthouse would consist of 4 stories approximately 210,000-260,000 square feet, 700 parking spaces; 150 of which would be underground in a garage. The remainder of the site will be further developed to include an 11-story housing complex, a 50 – slip marina, and potential riverside restaurants and shops. The mayor concludes that the Riverfront location is ideal for a new courthouse and could jumpstart growth along the North End of the Connecticut River. The projected impacts of this project have been compared to the success that the Basketball Hall of Fame has brought the south end of Memorial Bridge. The site has been described by Mayor Sarno as a “hidden jewel”.
The study of this area has great design potential. Options have been explored that include a raised boardwalk from the courthouse property leading to a lookout area at the river, as well as complete access to the bikeway and walkway bordering the river. Rough projections allot 2 years for design and permitting followed by another 2 to two and a half years for construction, through which hundreds of construction jobs would be created.