Community members and officials gathered in Minden Friday morning to celebrate the new Douglas County Justice Center groundbreaking ceremony.

"This milestone marks over a decade of thoughtful planning to build a purpose-driven facility that meets the modern needs of our judicial and law enforcement system," Douglas County says in a Facebook post.

The new center is located on Buckeye Road and was previously estimated to be completed between 2026 and 2027.  

Judge Tod Young from the 9th Judicial District Court said the new building will be larger and safer than the current justice center.

"There's no secure parking for the staff or the judges or any of the elected officials or members of the District Attorney's office. In addition to that, for the public there's no separation for the victims and perpetrators of crime. There's no separation for the juries."

According to the county, the new center is expected to enhance public safety, streamline judicial operations and help improve the quality of life for neighbors.

The county also said that no new taxes would be required for residents. The adoption of Ordinance 2024-1648, also known as the "2025 Justice Center Bond Ordinance," authorizes up to $37 million for the project. Meanwhile, Ordinance 2024-1649, or the "2025B Medium-Term Bond Ordinance," provides an additional $14 million.

(Douglas County contributed to this report.)