Ex-Columbus mayor proposes name for city’s new judicial center, a $207.5 million project
A Superior Court judge has filed an application with Columbus Council to name the city’s new judicial center after a late Columbus judge.
Judge Bobby Peters announced his application to name the new judicial center after the late Judge John D. Allen Sr. Friday at Allen’s funeral.
The item is on Columbus Council’s agenda for the Feb. 25 meeting, starting at 5:30 p.m..
Peters’ application says, “Honorable John D. Allen is a lifelong resident of Muscogee County, Columbus, Georgia. His life was dedicated to service of his country as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and service to his community and state as a Recorders Court Judge, a State Court Judge, and a Superior Court Judge.”
The application says many awards were bestowed upon Allen and he mentored many young lawyers.
“He worked hard to overcome many obstacles to become one of the first minority lawyers in Columbus and helped start the first biracial law firm in our circuit,” the application says.
Peters was mayor of Columbus from 1995-2003.
About the new Columbus judicial center
Construction started last year for the new $207.5 million judicial center, funded by $200 million from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and $7.5 million approved by Columbus Council for an additional floor, Ryan Pruett, the city’s director of inspections and code, said during a presentation to the council last year.
The eight-story, 342,000-square-foot building is being constructed along 10th Street, between First Avenue and Second Avenue, across from the Springer Opera House. It will comprise 14 courtrooms with space to accommodate an additional four courtrooms and will house:
Superior Court
State Court, Probate Court
Municipal/Magistrate Court
Juvenile Court
Accountability Court
District Attorney’s Office
Solicitor General’s Office
Public Defender
Clerk of Superior/State Court
Clerk of Municipal Court
Those departments are in the adjacent Columbus Government Center tower, which has about 170,000 square feet, Pruett said.
The new judicial center is expected to be completed in summer 2026. After all of the departments are moved in, the city will demolish the tower. The implosion is expected to be done in 2027, Pruett said.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM.