Cost estimates should be available next month for the Cole County Commission to look at for a new building at the old sheriff's house and jail behind the county courthouse.
The initial plans presented by representatives of Architects Alliance put the cost at just over $2 million.
Commissioners said if the cost for the new building goes above their threshold of $2.5 million, the project may not be feasible.
Cary Gampher with Architects Alliance on Wednesday presented plans showing an entrance off on Monroe Street that would be level with the prisoner holding area in the basement of the old jail, which will be kept in place.
The entrance would have 1,160 square feet and some of that area could be used for offices.
The second floor would have 1,500 square feet of space, including a jury deliberating room that could take 1,000 feet of that space along with restrooms.
The third floor would have a 2,250-square-foot courtroom with a gallery to seat 80 people along with bigger areas for witnesses, lawyers and evidence testimony.
Gampher presented three options for a fourth floor. It could be just a roof with room for mechanical equipment, or they could build a shell that could be used at a later time for county space needs, or build another floor with the same space area as the third floor.
Cole County Judge Jon Beetem said he and other judges had looked at the plans and believe it will meet the needs of the courts for the next 20 years.
Gampher pointed out that originally the jail and courthouse were built as separate buildings, but over time that space was filled in. They will have to leave at least some of the south wall of the jail and incorporate it into the new facility.