Rep. Brown, Sen. Brown Celebrate $10,235,000 in Funding for Stokes Courthouse Repairs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Shontel M. Brown (OH-11) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH-D) issued the following statements on the signing of the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding package, which includes $10,235,000 for repairs to the Carl B. Stokes United States Courthouse located at 801 W. Superior Avenue in Cleveland, OH.

"I applaud President Biden for his commitment to supporting our communities and continuing to deliver for the American people. For more than twenty years, the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Courthouse has proudly stood as an enduring symbol of justice in Cleveland and commemoration of the first Black mayor of a major American city,"said Rep. Brown. "It was an honor to join Sen. Brown in championing a long-overdue investment included in the government funding package that will ensure this remarkable tribute to Stokes’ legacy will live on in the spirit of pursuing justice for all."

“The Carl B. Stokes Courthouse is a pillar of the Cleveland Community and is critical to our nation’s commitment to justice for all,” said Sen. Brown. “This investment will ensure that the courthouse and all the Ohioans who work there are able to continue serving the people of the Northern District of Ohio.”

Background

Previously, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) and Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) approved $19,964,000 for a repair and alteration project for the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Courthouse, but the funding needed to be appropriated. For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the General Services Administration (GSA) requested an additional funding amount of $35,866,000, adding to the total proposed funding of $55,830,000. Rep. Brown worked with T&I to authorize a prospectus that requests the approval of FY23 funding. The omnibus provides $10,235,000 for Stokes Courthouse.

The project is expected to repair the plaza to eliminate water leaks and infiltration into the lower levels of the building and extend the incomplete plaza toward Superior Avenue, which was left undone during the original construction of the building due to funding shortfall. Allocated funding will also upgrade the building’s fire alarm system, which has exceeded its useful life. 

Completing the plaza will protect structural steel from future damage, improve pedestrian access and safety to the building, and improve the appearance of the Stokes Courthouse. Once the plaza is complete, the surface area provides the opportunity to incorporate sustainable technologies and stormwater recapture. Additionally, the repairs would generate renewable energy by installing solar panels and wind turbines on the plaza and the adjacent landscaped area. 

For the complete prospectus, click HERE.