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SALT LAKE CITY — Last year, the new federal courthouse building opened in downtown Salt Lake City, replacing the outdated Frank Moss Courthouse built back in 1905. But the Moss building isn't sitting empty.
In one of the majestic courtrooms Friday, where the fates of many were decided by judges and juries through the years, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"This is a new chapter in the life of this building," said Michael Leavitt, Utah's former Governor and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary.
The Frank E. Moss Courthouse will be the new home of the Department of Health and Human Services Program Support Center. The PSC was established 20 years ago to reduce HHS's annual spending and to increase the quality of its administrative services. It offers more than 40 services to HHS and other federal agencies. PSC operates on a competitive fee-for-service basis in five key markets: administrative operations, real estate and logistics, financial management, occupational health and procurement management.
"We're moving from 10 different locations to one here. We will now allow people to work collaboratively together in a great setting," said Paul Bartley, deputy assistant secretary of HHS.
When the new federal courthouse opened last year, the concern was what would happen to the Moss building, which has stood since 1905 and also listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1975).
Marc Weaver/KSL-TV
With 10 federal offices scattered all over the country, the Moss Courthouse became an opportunity to put them in the same building and save the taxpayers several million in rent each year.
"This is the oldest historical building in this district of downtown Salt Lake City," Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said. "The opportunity for us to preserve this, restore it to its original luster, to have it function with these different agencies coming together in more of a one-stop shop opportunity, to receive government services as needed, is going to be a win-win for everybody."
The construction and restoration will cost about $15 million and will be completed by the end of 2016. And while the old courtrooms in the building will be turned into office space, careful attention will be made to reflect and maintain the long architectural history.
"So for instance, we're in this historic courtroom, these walls will be just as they are today when we get fully in," Bartley said. "The ceiling will still be there, the chandelier will still be there, but it'll be functional because we'll have folks in here. Maybe a conference room type set-up. Now, extrapolate that across the building."
This office when completed will become a satellite facility to the PSC offices in Bethesda, Maryland. Roughly 150-200 jobs will be created in Salt Lake City with more positions opening up in the future.
"It will be a new chapter for those who will reside in Utah and make a good living, these are good jobs that are coming here," Leavitt said.
