The maintenance areas of the courthouse include office areas for administrative staff, loading dock, mechanical and electrical rooms, janitorial closets, and supply rooms.
Administration
Many larger court facilities have a maintenance administration office. This office may be close to the central receiving and loading dock areas and the maintenance work areas. This arrangement will allow the administrative staff to supervise the incoming supplies and materials. This office should be easily accessible to vendors as well as the court administrative office.
Loading Dock
The loading dock should be easily accessible from the street. The number of bays required will depend on the size of the facility and the functions to be performed in the building. A loading dock may be noisy and should not be located adjacent to the general office areas.
Security considerations require the consideration of hardening the loading dock and any staging areas of the building against bomb explosions. Consideration might be given to the construction of a staging area in the loading dock so that all supplies and equipment can be examined before entering the building.
Mechanical Rooms
The number and size of the mechanical rooms depend on the size of the facility. Mechanical rooms are generally located in the lower levels of the building and need to be well insulated for sound. Only authorized staff should have access to these areas.
Janitorial Areas
Janitorial areas are typically dispersed throughout the facility. A central work area should be located preferably on the lower level and close to the service elevator. This will promote ease in moving equipment and supplies to and from the facility's floors. There should be a separate janitor's closet on each floor for storing supplies and equipment. This closet should be equipped with a sink, storage shelves, and a small work surface.
Storage and Supply
The number and size of storage and supply areas will depend on the size of the courthouse. It is advantageous to locate this area close to the service elevator and the loading dock to promote ease both in transporting supplies to and from the facility floors and in receiving of vendor supplies and equipment from the loading dock.