If you've got jury duty, a court date, a marriage license, or any other errand at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center this fall, mark your calendar — the building's front doors are about to close for nearly a year. Gwinnett County announced that the main entrance at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville will shut at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, as crews begin building a new, more secure entryway closer to the parking lot.
Where to Go Starting Oct. 26
The County isn't leaving visitors without a door. A temporary entrance on the building's east side opens to the public Monday, Oct. 26, and the building itself stays open for normal business throughout construction — courts, administrative offices, and public services all continue to operate. The work is expected to wrap up by August of next year.
Why the County Is Doing This
The new entrance is designed to let the Sheriff's Office screen visitors sooner, in a more controlled space, before they reach the building's interior. County officials say the redesign will also smooth access to auditorium events, courtroom proceedings, and other services, while adding accessible parking and improving traffic flow around the property. "A new more secure entrance which will enhance the safety and convenience of all those coming to GJAC," is how Gwinnett County Administrator Glenn Stephens described the project in the County's announcement. The upgrade is funded through SPLOST, the voter-approved special purpose local option sales tax that pays for a long list of county infrastructure projects without raising property taxes.
Parking and Access Changes to Know
A few things shift while construction is underway. The main front parking lot, including its accessible spaces, stays open. What closes is the stretch of Langley Drive directly in front of the main entrance, a small accessible lot next to it, and the public sales area. Visitors who need extra accessible parking can use level P4 of the Nash Street parking deck, and the public sales area is relocating to the plaza near the flagpoles in the parking lot. The County says it will post construction updates at GwinnettCounty.com as the project moves along.
The Bigger Picture
For a county that's added hundreds of thousands of residents over the past two decades, a single-entrance bottleneck at its busiest government building has long been a known pain point on heavy court days. This project is one of several SPLOST-funded upgrades underway at county facilities aimed at keeping pace with that growth — worth knowing if GJAC is on your to-do list anytime between now and next August.