During its March 18, 2025, meeting, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to move forward with demolishing the long-vacant courthouse at 1500 Court Street while directing staff to explore potential development opportunities for the site.
The Condition of the Old Courthouse
The old courthouse has remained vacant since February of 2024, presenting numerous challenges for repurposing. The building contains significant amounts of asbestos and lead paint, along with major energy inefficiencies, making renovation or adaptive reuse exorbitantly expensive for the County. Given these barriers, the Board was presented with several options for the property’s future:
- Demolish the building and construct a parking lot.
- Partially demolish the annex and old jail portions while repurposing the remaining space for County use, with the vacant land converted into a parking lot.
- Demolish the building and direct staff to explore future development opportunities.
- Leave the building as is and revisit the issue after the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget.
After weighing the costs and long-term impacts, the Board selected Option 3—demolish the building and evaluate potential future uses for the site.
Potential for Grants and Community Development
Since the last discussion on this issue, District 4 Supervisor Matt Plummer met with local leaders to explore alternatives to turning the space into a County parking lot and potential funding alternatives. He noted the possibility of securing grant funding to alleviate financial strain on the County, with potential conditions requiring a portion of the site to be used as a park or community space alongside parking.
Supervisor Plummer emphasized the importance of keeping options open for future development.
“Demolishing the old courthouse is the right decision, but it comes with a significant price tag. If we can secure outside funding—whether for the demolition itself or future site use—it could save the County a substantial amount of money. That’s why it’s important we take the time to explore all available financial options before making any further commitments,” said Plummer.
However, Supervisor Kevin Crye raised concerns about grant funding that might come with restrictive conditions limiting the County’s long-term control over the property. Ultimately, the Board agreed that maintaining flexibility and control over the site’s future was essential.
Next Steps and Timeline
With the Board’s decision, Public Works staff will begin preparing for the building’s demolition, while admin staff seek grant funding to support both the demolition process and future development opportunities, simultaneously ensuring that the County retains control over the space. While significant work remains, the demolition is projected to take place during the Summer of 2026.