Hidalgo County granted certificate to open new courthouse

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hidalgo County was granted a Certificate of Occupancy by the City of Edinburg, initiating the next step in opening the anticipated new courthouse for public use.

The certificate comes two weeks after Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez made a request to Edinburg to perform a final re-inspection of the new courthouse.

"We know this has been a long time coming and we appreciate the public’s patience," Cortez said.

The county anticipates several steps before the courthouse project is complete.

Some steps include:

• Inspection to comply with state jail regulation
• Moving legal documents and county employees into the new courthouse

Hidalgo County has begun steps of the construction project involving the demolition of the old courthouse structure.

"Our objective was to ensure the public’s safety in the most cost-effective manner possible. We believe we have fulfilled that objective," Cortez continued.