Federal Courthouse Will Feature Enhanced Security and Energy-Saving Elements

The U.S. General Services Administration announced that a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on a new 35,696 square-foot U.S. courthouse in Saipan, an island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, took place on Dec. 7, 2017.

From a Spanish Colony to a U.S. Commonwealth

Originally colonized by Spain in 1667, the Northern Mariana Islands were sold to Germany after the Spanish-American War of 1898. Following World War I, the islands were awarded to Japan. After World War II, the islands fell under the administration of the United States. Its citizens voted to become a U.S. commonwealth in 1975. Northern Mariana Islands citizens have U.S. citizenship. Decisions from the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands are appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

A Contemporary Courthouse with Energy-Saving Amenities

The new courthouse for the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands is slated to be completed in 2019. Energy-saving fixtures and wastewater technology have been incorporated into the design as resource conservation measures.

“We look forward to the new courthouse that will meet modern federal judicial standards and security requirements,” said U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands Chief Judge Ramona Manglona at the time the groundbreaking was announced. The new building will also house a U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Probation Office, and the Federal Protective Service.

“Through a lease arrangement, the Marianas Management Corporation is providing a modern facility with functional space and innovative technology to meet the operational requirements of the U.S. District Court in the Northern Mariana Islands,” said GSA Acting Pacific Rim Regional Administrator Dan Brown in a press release.

—Lori Tripoli

Where are the Northern Mariana Islands?

The Northern Mariana Islands include all of the Mariana Islands except Guam. The main islands of the Northern Mariana are Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.