The Hollister Downtown Association has officially opposed a
state agency’s decision to build the new courthouse on Flynn Road
instead of downtown at the old Fremont School.
The Hollister Downtown Association has officially opposed a state agency’s decision to build the new courthouse on Flynn Road instead of downtown at the old Fremont School.
The HDA Board of Directors sent a letter this week to the Office of Court Construction and Management in San Francisco raising concerns about the Flynn Road construction – a plea focused on the impact it would have on downtown businesses that benefit from the centralized location.
The HDA is the first organized opposition in what’s expected to be a firestorm of criticism from local officials and merchants over the decision.
A local site selection committee had recommended the old Fremont School site, which is widely supported locally. But then the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts chose the alternative location while citing likely delays and hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional costs due to further assessment necessary at the downtown property.
The HDA board noted there being more than 30 attorneys’ offices downtown, other government offices nearby and many businesses that depend on the courthouse activity. The board also pointed to the move compounding an existing problem with storefronts vacant and the impact it would have on traffic, with more people driving to and from the Flynn Road site near the San Benito County Jail.
