New Courthouse Opens in Buffalo

It was inspiring to witness as the American flag was raised and its red, white and blue colors unfurled for the very first time at Buffalo, New York’s new United States Courthouse last month. The flag-raising was part of the festivities marking the official opening of the courthouse as GSA joined with the judges and personnel of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York along with other local dignitaries and court-related agencies for a brief ribbon cutting ceremony. 

The 10-story building  provides the federal  judicial system and supporting agencies in Buffalo with much needed new courtrooms and office space as well as improved technology and security features.  It includes five district and four magistrate courtrooms as well as ten judges’ chambers, a court of appeals chamber and a satellite library. The building will provide offices for the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorney, Probation and Pretrial Services, the Federal Public Defender, and GSA.

The building incorporates several sustainable technologies that have enabled it to achieve a LEED Gold rating. The building uses highly efficient HVAC and lighting systems that respond to occupancy sensors. It is designed to use 30 percent less water than the current standards for a building of its size, and its construction used recycled materials from the region extensively throughout the project. Additionally, its use of low-VOC materials will ensure excellent air quality within the building.

The courthouse continues GSA’s commitment to the Art-in-Architecture program with monumental colored glass panels installed in the courthouse’s lobby. The panels were designed by Buffalo native Robert Mangold.

In addition to being a striking enhancement to the city’s skyline, the design of the new courthouse truly expresses the dignity and transparency of the federal judicial system. Symbolically, the text of the United States Constitution is etched on the glass façade of the structure’s pavilion and casts shadows of its words upon all who pass through the entrance.

Now open for business, the new courthouse is hearing cases, and its central location is certainly a boon for downtown Buffalo, New York.