Glenn County Courthouse in Willows a Classic Blend of Style and Substance

Completed in November 2023, the renovation of the Willows Courthouse in Glenn County achieved upgrades to the building without compromising the facility’s historic integrity.

Recognizing this achievement, the California Preservation Foundation recently awarded the renovation project with its Preservation Design Award for Rehabilitation, which honors the best historic preservation projects in California. The foundation will honor this year’s recipients at an award ceremony on May 9 at the California Museum in Downtown Sacramento.

The Renovated Historic Building Is More Efficient, Secure
Originally built in 1894 and located at 526 West Sycamore Street in Willows, the renovated and expanded historic courthouse consolidates court operations from three facilities in two cities, hearing all case types and providing a full range of court services to residents of Glenn County.

The renovation project not only increased operational efficiency for the court, but also improved security and seismic strength, and upgraded mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.

The building’s improved security features include entrance screening of all court users, and improved fire and life safety systems. The courthouse’s sustainability features include energy-efficient lighting, drought-tolerant landscaping, and water-efficient irrigation and plumbing systems.

The courthouse also has a self-help center, mediation and settlement spaces, and holding facilities for in-custody defendants.

Expansion Project Preserved the Historic Nature of the Building
After gaining title to the property from the county in 2011, the state Judicial Council acquired additional land to the rear of the building to construct the annex that allowed the court to consolidate its operations at one location.

The council, the court, and the construction vendors worked together to add a two-courtroom annex that would complement the original historic structure. As required by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards, the new two-story addition is compatible with the historic building’s size, scale, and architectural features but different enough to preserve the original building’s character.

“The court is very pleased that the California Preservation Foundation has chosen to recognize and honor this unique historic courthouse renovation project that preserves the courthouse’s identity and its place as a central and iconic fixture of the City of Willows and the Glenn County community,” stated Presiding Judge Donald Cole Byrd.

Part of a Statewide Courthouse Construction Program 
The courthouse renovation project was ranked as an “Immediate Need” in the judicial branch’s capital-outlay plan, making it among the branch’s highest-priority infrastructure projects. Since the state judicial branch took over responsibility for courthouses in 2002, the judicial branch construction program has completed 35 new courthouse projects, with another 18 projects underway and in various stages.

These include new court facilities in both large and small counties, as well as urban and rural areas across the state.

For more information on the Willows Courthouse, visit the California court’s website at www.courts.ca.gov/facilities-glenn.htm.

To see photos of the courthouse dedication ceremony celebrating the renovation project, visit the California Courts Flickr channel.