About the Project
A Jointly Led Project
This project is a collaborative project led together by six paying entities at the request of the Steuben County Board of Commissioners. These entities include Steuben County Tourism Bureau, Steuben County Community Foundation, Steuben County Government, City of Angola, Trine University and Cameron Memorial Community Hospital. The intent of these entities is to develop a community driven plan for the future reuse of the Steuben County Courthouse and the adjacent park space.
The Need For This Plan
In 2024, the new Steuben County Judicial Center will be complete and will be the center of operations for the Steuben County Courts and all County Departments pertaining to those Courts. Once the Judicial Center is open for business, the Steuben County Historic Courthouse will be left unoccupied. With the Courthouse being on the Historic Registry, the building must be maintained and reused for a new purpose.
This project is also important for the vibrancy and vitality of Downtown Angola. The Courthouse has a large presence on the Public Square and future reuse alternatives will have an impact on Downtown.
Project Intent
The intent of this project is to develop a community driven plan for the future reuse of the Steuben County Courthouse and the adjacent park space. This project will identify a range of alternatives for adaptive reuse of the current courthouse and adjacent park space. The planning process will have two key components. First, a community-wide consensus building initiative will be completed to collect input on the courthouse reuse. Second, an architectural evaluation will be completed to evaluate the feasibility of reuse options and estimate the cost of work.
Site Map
Virtual Tour
Planning Process
Phase 1: Building Consensus
This phase focuses on public engagement and what residents and community leaders desire for future reuse of the courthouse building and the adjacent park space. This will be accomplished through a public survey, four public workshops and focus group interviews.
Phase 2: Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives
The phase focuses on identifying the most feasible re-use options for the courthouse. This will be accomplished by reviewing all public input gathered in Phase 1, conducting a building assessment of the existing courthouse, and identifying alternatives for re-use. A public open house and additional public survey will be conducted to gain feedback on alternatives identified in this phase.
Phase 3: Report Preparation and Presentation
This phase focuses on preparing a written report that summarizes the planning process, community feedback, existing conditions, alternatives considered and recommendations. A public presentation will be held to present the results to the community and invite the public to comment on the draft report.
Phase 1: Building Consensus
Phase 2: Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives
Phase 3: Report Preparation and Presentation
