This 17-story iconic courthouse in downtown Houston consolidates Harris County’s civil court functions into one secure, accessible, and operationally efficient facility.

Client
Harris County
Construction Delivery
Design-Bid-Build
PGAL Scope
Full Architectural Services, Interior Design, Needs Assessment, Programming, Site Design + Utilities
Completion Date
2008
Harris County Civil Courthouse

Inside, the courthouse includes 39 courtrooms, with infrastructure in place for 12 more to support long-term growth. Approximately 200,000 square feet of administrative space was programmed and designed to meet the needs of the County Clerk, District Clerk, Courts Administration, and District Attorney. The layout supports efficient circulation, layered security, and modern court operations.

The interior build-out of six shell floors added six family courts and associated offices. Construction was carefully sequenced to avoid disrupting daily operations while expanding capacity for future needs.

The scope also included site design services such as site paving, storm and sanitary systems, water lines, ADA-compliant access, secured parking, and landscaping.

Harris County Civil Courthouse

The 650,000-square-foot building anchors the County Courthouse District with a classical copper-domed rotunda that enhances the Houston skyline and reinforces the building’s civic identity.

Harris County Civil Courthouse
Harris County Civil Courthouse