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Wednesday, October 28, 2026Oct 28

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Breaking ground on federal building recalls evolution of buildings here

Staff Photo By Matt Hamilton / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new federal courthouse Oct. 21, 2026.
Staff Photo By Matt Hamilton / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new federal courthouse Oct. 21, 2026. Staff Photo By Matt Hamilton / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new federal courthouse Oct. 21, 2026.

Sometime in 2030, when the new federal courthouse at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Vine Street is completed, or later if construction delays it, somebody will find fault with some aspect of the architecture, structure or fittings.

The (whatever it is) doesn’t work right, the work was done shabbily or construction was begun during the presidential administration of Donald Trump, so it had to be poor quality.

Mark our words.

After all, the same thing happened when what is now the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and United States Courthouse was preparing to be dedicated in 1933.

Oh, to be sure, many praises were heaped upon the R.H. Hunt-designed building on Georgia Avenue.