County Courthouse renovation nears completion
A renovation project in the basement of the Cook County Courthouse is nearing completion. The remodel was spurred by a need for more office space identified in the county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
Facilities Director Brook Lessard told WTIP that the project will be ready for county staff to move into later this month. He said the only remaining elements to complete are adding finishing trim and cleanup, and then the space will be ready for furniture.
As the project is coming together, Lessard said the staff are looking forward to moving into the space. “They weren’t exactly really excited to come down into the dingy basement, but now that the renovation is being completed there, they’re getting excited,” he said.
While the courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, Lessard said that for this particular project, that was not an obstacle. The project has, however, uncovered some surprises and details in the building. In what was once a storage room, and which will now serve as a break room, there is a large window on an interior wall. Lessard described it as a “window to nowhere.”
The renovation project made improvements to the courthouse basement beyond new coats of paint and more office space. The dropped ceiling was eliminated from the space, and Lessard pointed to a new air exchange system that was installed throughout the basement. He said that includes storage spaces and the existing offices for facilities staff, making the air on the whole floor less stale.
WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Facilities Director Brook Lessard about the progress of the renovation. Audio of that interview and photos of the space can be found below.
Kirsten Wisniewski July 5, 2025
