Montgomery County commissioners moved Jan. 29 to schedule a dedicated agenda item to discuss the future of the county courthouse footprint after a presentation on historic preservation sparked pushback over how far restoration plans should go—and how they intersect with the county courthouse nearing capacity.
What happened
During a presentation from the Montgomery County Historical Commission, Jason Smith, deputy chief of staff for Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, said a historic courthouse preservation master plan has already been sent to the Texas Historical Commission for review, a step required before the county can apply for state preservation grant funding.
He also said the first grant phase would support design and schematic planning, while later construction funding would require county money as a match. Official floor-by-floor drawings have already been shared with judges for feedback.
But commissioners quickly zeroed in on a bigger question: What’s the county’s long-term courthouse infrastructure plan—and who decided what “restoration” should look like? Montgomery County Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray warned the court risked “putting the cart before the horse,” arguing commissioners need to align on a long-range plan before debating how to remodel the existing courthouse.
Montgomery County Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said he wants to return the historic courthouse “back like it was the day [it] is built,” and said that restoration would not solve the county’s larger needs.
“We need a new courthouse for the judges and for our courts and our criminal all of that; I don't want anybody to think we're remodeling that and that's going to be our new courthouse. That's not what this is.” Riley said.
Smith responded that early direction focused on restoring the building to its original look, which would include removing later-added wings and taking the structure back to the “original 1936 courthouse,” but that approach would still only allow seven to maybe eight courtrooms.
The statement triggered pushback from Gray, who said the court never voted to remove the wings and urged the group to “tamp this down.” Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler agreed the issue needs a properly posted agenda item, and the court directed staff to place it on an upcoming agenda.
The background
Commissioners approved a plan Oct. 28 to reshuffle courtroom and office space to prepare for the new 523rd District Court, set to begin operations Sept. 1, 2026, while freeing up additional courtroom space in the existing courthouse, as previously reported.
Judges have warned for months that the courthouse has outgrown its capacity. In February 2025, judges told commissioners they were “out of options,” noting 20 judges share 17 usable courtrooms, with space and building issues worsening the squeeze.
