SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Five people all worked in the same building, all of them were diagnosed with ALS or cancer. After more than a decade of calling the Roderick Ireland Courthouse a ‘death trap,’ the state has finally named the site for a new courthouse. But instead of a celebration — it has ignited a political firestorm.

We’ve stood on these steps as toxic mold forced sudden closures and as the district attorney moved his entire staff out for their own safety. For the families of those who didn’t survive, this building isn’t just obsolete — it’s a tragedy. For anyone who has ever served jury duty, attended a hearing, or simply walked through those doors, Thursday’s decision affects you.

It’s the news court employees have been waiting for, but it’s not the ‘home run’ the mayor was hoping for. If you look at the map here behind me, the state has officially selected 125 Liberty street as the site for the new Springfield Regional Justice Center. It’s right in the heart of downtown, just steps away from Union Station and the regional bus lines.

We also have these first-look renderings of the proposed six-story building. The state said this L-shaped design will bring natural light into every courtroom and, most importantly, it will be a healthy, modern space.

While the design looks modern, Mayor Domenic Sarno called the site a ‘postage stamp.’ he’s furious that the state passed over a local proposal for the riverfront that would have included a marina and new housing. He said, ‘Boston Power Brokers’ are once again dictating what’s best for Springfield, “That’s a game-changing project, and to shun that, Boston power brokers dictating what the city of Springfield should do. I’m extremely, extremely, disappointed.”

The mayor isn’t the only one upset. The person in charge of the city’s legal records says the people who actually work in the building every day were completely ignored, saying, “disappointing doesn’t begin to describe my reaction, Liberty Street was not even considered to be a suitable design or location. Clearly, our opinions were not taken seriously, and the decision was made by people outside of our community.”

Now, the state (Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance) argued that by leasing this building instead of building it themselves, they can get staff out of the current ‘sick’ building and into this new one by 2030 — which they say is twice as fast as traditional construction. For the families of those who got sick and didn’t survive, that can’t come soon enough.

The mayor made it clear: the developers are going to have to ‘do business’ with him to get this built. He’s promising to ask for ‘the world’ when it comes to permits and planning. As the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office put it on Thursday, every day of delay is another day people continue working in conditions that should have been addressed years ago — this fight is far from over.

We also received a statement from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office that reads “the attorneys, court staff, jurors deserve a safe, healthy place to work. (Thursday’s) announcement is welcome news, but it must be followed by action. Every day of delay is another day people continue working in conditions that should have been addressed years ago.”

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