Up to six stories of housing and a large event space may be developed on the site currently occupied by the Stanislaus Superior Court, according to preliminary plans presented by the city of Modesto. The proposal was discussed during a public workshop held Wednesday at Greens on Tenth, where city staff outlined possible changes that will continue to evolve as further site assessments are conducted and a developer is sought through 2026, business analyst Katherine Bakus explained.
The plan calls for demolishing the existing three-story courthouse on 11th Street and replacing it with an open-sided structure called the Marketplace. This venue would be designed to host community events and provide spaces for food vendors, art displays, and other activities. Brad Hawn, a former City Council member and current housing advocate who volunteered his structural engineering expertise for the project, described features of the proposed Marketplace: “We could put 50 taco trucks in there one day, and the next day have a wedding and the next day have a band come and play,” Hawn said. He added that the Marketplace would feature a clerestory roof to let in light while helping control temperatures throughout the year.
For the already vacant jail at 12th and H streets, plans suggest building up to five stories of housing above ground-floor businesses. The Hall of Records on I Street—an early Modernist building now used for family law matters—would be preserved. Some portions of this building have five floors; others have three. It may be adapted to include homes along with commercial spaces at street level.
Harrison Power, chairman of the Modesto Landmark Preservation Commission, spoke about preserving this historic structure: “It’s a concrete block — yes, it is — but it’s a fairly significant concrete block.” Power noted that it was completed in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration as part of New Deal efforts during the Depression and designed in Bauhaus style by local architect Russell Guerne DeLappe.
The new courthouse is expected to open next spring on Ninth Street between G and H streets. The state has funded its entire $352 million cost.
About 60 people attended Wednesday’s workshop hosted by Modesto’s Community and Economic Development Department. Earlier this year, another event invited public input on ideas for redeveloping the courthouse block. While no additional workshops are planned at this time, residents will have opportunities to comment when specific projects come up for approval.
Workshop participants compared Modesto’s Marketplace concept to San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace and Napa’s Oxbow Public Market.
The old jail building was constructed in 1954 but closed in 2018 due to deteriorating conditions; it continues to serve as a temporary holding facility for inmates brought from Hackett Road jail for court appearances. The block also contains an interior brick courtyard not currently accessible to the public; future plans could incorporate this space into walkways serving new developments.
The reuse plan preserves an existing small park along I Street with mature trees, a war memorial, and a statue honoring Chief Estanislao—the county’s namesake. Before proceeding with purchases from state or county owners, city officials will inspect properties for asbestos or other issues.
Modesto’s City Council adopted a downtown master plan in 2020 aimed primarily at increasing dense housing in central districts already known for weekday office activity as well as dining and entertainment options into evening hours.
