Houston-based criminal attorney Chris Tritico says it would be best to use the old Family Law Center located at the 1100th block of Congress Avenue.

Houston-based criminal lawyer Chris Tritico is proposing to move the Harris County Criminal Justice Center from its current location at the 1200th block of Franklin Street to the 1100th block of Congress Avenue to make the center's workflow more effective and protect it from flooding.

Hurricane Harvey flooded the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, which is undergoing repairs.

The building also flooded in 2001 because of tropical storm Allison and, additionally, it is known for long lines of people trying to enter, especially in the morning.

Tritico thinks that, if his proposal became a reality, building a new center at the 1100th block of Congress Avenue, where the old Family Law Center is located, would better serve the public because it is on higher ground and because a bigger lobby could be built, which, according to the lawyer, would prevent the long lines that typically form at 1201 Franklin Street.

"You have a whole city block to build a functioning courthouse on that’s big enough to handle the crowds, with courtrooms big enough to handle the dockets and enough space to actually get the job done and an elevator service that actually works," Tritico, who recently presented his proposal to the Harris County Commissioners Court, told Houston Public Media.

Tritico says the county could pay for a new Criminal Justice Center using $70 million in bonds for a new Family courthouse that voters approved several years ago and add "what’s necessary," which the attorney estimates at $40 or $50 million.

Tritico, whose plan is supported by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, is also proposing to use the current Criminal Justice Center to house county offices.

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