Two Stearns County Buildings In Downtown St. Cloud Could Eventually Face The Wrecking Ball

(KNSI) – Stearns County officials have committed to moving the jail and court system out of downtown St. Cloud, so the question becomes what happens to the existing buildings once operations have shifted elsewhere?

Assistant County Administrator Steve Hammes appeared Thursday on KNSI and said some would likely need to be demolished. “In terms of the law enforcement center itself, you know, that building is not designed to be changed, altered, or remodeled at all just because the walls are three feet thick and it’s concrete and steel. That building is likely to be torn down.”

The court facilities building is also facing demolition in the coming years. The 1920s courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it is safe. The county will continue to use the administration building.

Hammes speculated on what the county might do with that land afterward. “One possibility is, as those buildings would come down, we could turn that into a parking space, maybe some green space around there, as well, and then perhaps sell one of our other parking lots that we have downtown for redevelopment.”

Several surrounding buildings have legal tenants who would move once a new court facility is opened. Combining the nearby buildings and the space vacated by the county, an ambitious development project for the area would be required. St. Cloud officials have discussed the possibility of more housing downtown as part of a revitalization effort.

No final location for the new justice center has been chosen. Voters will decide in November if they want to pay for it with a 30-year sales tax.

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