Maryland is seeking bids to construct a towering five-story complex in Annapolis to house the state’s two appeals courts.

The planned Maryland Supreme Court building, which will feature an underground garage, will be erected on a vacant parcel at the corner of Rowe Boulevard and Farragut Road. That’s just north of the District Court on Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, adjacent to Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and about two blocks from the existing Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building.

General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry called the project a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a state-of-the-art world-class Supreme Court Building near our historic state capitol complex.”

“This new building will not only celebrate over 240 years of the court’s history but will create a modern and efficient space for the Judiciary to continue to provide justice for all Marylanders,” Chaudry said in a statement. The agency announced the invitation for bids Friday.

The current appeals court building, completed in 1972, houses the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland and the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library.

Officials described the facility’s shortcomings in the state’s fiscal year 2025 Capital Improvement Program, saying it “suffers from functionally obsolete mechanical systems, building envelope issues, climate control deficiencies, and insufficient space requirements for Judges and staff.”

“The building also lacks an effective security design and layout. Moreover, the State Law Library lacks sufficient space for the State ’s collection, does not meet ADA requirements, and is not configured to offer research space or privacy,” according to a project description in the program.

Eric Solomon, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of General Services, said the existing appeals court building will be used for administrative offices for the courts, adding that there are no plans to renovate that facility.

The planned 217,564-square-foot building will include clerks’ offices for both appeals courts, office space for judiciary committees, the storied law library with its “special book collection,” a Maryland Legal History Museum, three Appellate Court of Maryland courtrooms, a historic Supreme Court courtroom and chambers for all of the jurists and their staff, the Department of General Services said in a news release.

The agency is, among other functions, responsible for designing, building, leasing, managing and maintaining state facilities.

According to the news release, the new court building will have a steel frame and precast concrete exterior, incorporating historical elements such as “columns from the 1903 Supreme Court building and the historic Supreme Court courtroom that was built for that 1903 courthouse.”

The project is budgeted at $192.9 million. Solomon said that figure includes design, furniture, fixtures, construction, public art and “any contingencies.”

Matthew J. Fader, chief justice of the Supreme Court, said in a statement that the new courthouse would “support our mission to provide fair, efficient and effective justice for all, while preserving and highlighting our rich legal history.”

“We look forward to welcoming the public and legal community to a facility that reflects the dignity and significance of Maryland’s judicial system,” Fader said.

In a March 27 webinar for contractors, Courtney League, assistant secretary for the Department of General Services’ Office of Design, Construction, and Energy, described the project as a unique opportunity for builders.

“It is the only [Supreme Court] that will be under construction at this time in the country,” League said. “That makes it a great opportunity for businesses to add to their portfolio.”

An arch facade will look out over Rowe Boulevard with a grand public atrium inside, Barry Miller, capital project executive for the general services agency, said during the webinar. Eight historic columns outside of the District Court “will be taken from the property, restored, reassembled, and placed within the various appellate courtrooms in the new Supreme Court.”

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said in a statement that the city enthusiastically welcomes new investments.

“Projects like this bring jobs, boost our local economy, and often spark additional improvements and opportunities in surrounding neighborhoods,” Buckley said. “We’re glad to see this kind of forward momentum taking place right here in Maryland’s capital city.”