The Elkhart County Consolidated Courts project continued to move forward this month as eight design/build teams from across the nation were interviewed by the County’s Technical Review Committee. The committee further narrowed the field of potential design/build teams to three finalists last week.

The three finalists will be interviewed again on Jan. 12 as the process to design and build a new facility for Elkhart County continues to move forward.

Last month, the Elkhart County Council approved a request from the Elkhart County Commissioners to purchase 32 acres of land along Reliance Road in Goshen. This location, which is central to every city and town in Elkhart County, is where the estimated $80 million campus will be built.

Elkhart County Government is committed to keeping constituents informed as the project moves forward. A website with frequently asked questions, key facts and an evolving timeline has been created as part of the process. The address is www.SmartCourtsProject.com.

The idea of a consolidated Elkhart County Courthouse system goes back to 1992. The project has been discussed as a necessary improvement since that time.

For the past two-and-a-half years, more than two dozen locations were studied by Elkhart County government as potential sites for the consolidated campus. The studies included sites in downtown Goshen and downtown Elkhart.

In September, an initial bond agreement was approved in the amount of $35 million for the first phase in financing to purchase land, design and build the new courthouse.

Last month, the Elkhart County Council unanimously approved the purchase of the 32 acre vacant property on Reliance Road in Goshen.